Reviews for Basic Solid State Chemistry

The average rating for Basic Solid State Chemistry based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-01-04 00:00:00 Jason Wilson Re-read throughout 2020 Atkins' Molecular Quantum Mechanics is still an amazing book. It has been my constant companion throughout 2020 and I leaned heavily into it. I love it even more than I used to, if that's even possible. ******************************** I know that, in the physics circuit, this book is... well, not exactly frowned upon, but there is some prejudice against it (probably because Peter Atkins is actually a chemistry professor). However, after reading the book, I have come to the conclusion that having any kind of prejudice makes no sense. Molecular quantum mechanics is an excellent book and, despite the opinion in some circles, is well suited to fit the needs of a student taking courses in Atomic and/or Molecular physics. I especially liked the slow build-up - the first three chapters are devoted entirely to freshening up the knowledge one has left after the standard courses of Quantum mechanics. That kind of intro eliminates the need to consult other books first, which is, from a practical viewpoint, very nice. Then with the fourth chapter, the real stuff kicks in. For my course, I didn't have to read the whole book, but from what I've read, I got a favorable impression. I'll try not to rave too much, but there is so much I really liked about this book. The approach to angular momentum, coupled and uncoupled basis, the detailed explanation of spectral terms and how to construct them, how to split them into levels, what happens in an external field, then MOLCAO... Each topic has been done in detail, and in very simple and understandable language. There are many examples sprinkled liberally throughout the text, and "self-test" sections, too. Both of them have been proven, at least in my case, very useful in discerning whether or not I have comprehended what's going on. The margins are also wonderfully done, not only with illustrations, but with little math reminders here and there. All in all, I'm very fond of Molecular quantum mechanics and I wish other physics students would take it up, if not as the primary textbook, then as a supplementary read. (I'm quite aware that some calculations are omitted here - like for the ionized hydrogen molecule - but that didn't detract me from enjoying the book.)

Review # 2 was written on 2016-12-03 00:00:00 Rodger Leather This book is very pretty: I said it. The coloring and font is spot on. The material is well covered too; I especially liked his presentation of the relationship between coupled and uncoupled electron systems via Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. Recommended.