IR Spectroscopy or Hooke's Law at the Molecular Level - A Joint Freshman Physics-Chemistry Experience

<!-- START_ABSTRACT --> <p> This article describes a laboratory activity appropriate for the college freshman studying general chemistry and general physics concurrently. The activity described is intended to unify for the student the topics of IR spectroscopy and Hooke's Law. This is accomplished by first working with springs and masses and then by acquiring and comparing the IR spectra of chloroform and chloroform-d. Using the IR bands assigned to C-H and C-D stretching, students are requried to calculate periods of oscillation and bond force constants. The activity is intended to help students make the connection between physics and chemistry. </p> <!-- END_ABSTRACT --> <!-- START_TEMPLATE --> <ul> <li> Source: </li> <li> Tags: </li> </ul> <!-- END_TEMPLATE -->