Symmetry and spectroscopy Book

The primary focus of this textbook is to introduce the student to vibrational and electronic spectroscopy, presenting the applications of group theory to the interpretation of ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectra without assuming a high level of background knowledge. The text is divided into five chapters which address the fundamentals of group theory, qualitative aspects of quantum mechanics, vibrational spectroscopy, molecular orbital theory and electronic spectroscopy. To make the exposition clear and meaningful, each new concept is applied or illustrated with experimental results as quickly as possible. In addition, each chapter features a large number of relevant problems through which students can test their understanding of text materials. These problems are an integral part of the text and sometimes introduce new material. Solutions to the problems (often accompanied by detailed explanations) can be found in an appendix.