MECH&AE 250S
Spectroscopy and Molecular Gas Dynamics
Description: Lecture, four hours; outside study, eight hours. Introduction to science that governs interaction of light and matter (in gas phase). Review of key concepts of physical gas dynamics to establish microscopic or molecular perspective (non-continuum perspective) on gas properties and physical behavior. Material is structured within three subtopics of gas-phase spectroscopy: spectral line positions, spectral line intensities, and spectral line shapes. These capture spectroscopic interactions of atoms, diatomic molecules, and polyatomic molecules, and their respective rotational (THz), vibrational (IR), and electronic (UV/Vis) spectra. Presentation of absorption, emission, and scattering processes, associated optical measurement techniques. Integration of subject matter from physical sciences (quantum mechanics, statistical thermodynamics, and physical chemistry), covered at level appropriate for engineer. Letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2024 - This course was really cool, getting to learn the theory and practicalities of a subject you don't learn about in undergrad. The lecture and class format was great and the same as Professor Spearrin's other classes. Some of the problem sets in this class were very challenging, I found myself needing to consistently go to office hours to get clarifications on the course material. This wasn't a super bad thing, just an adjustment from other engineering courses that have generally easier problem sets. Shoutout to the TA Nick, he did a great job and was clearly super knowledgeable, he would always break down course material to fundamentals really well. I also really enjoyed the lab sessions at the end of class. The last homework was analyzing data from a lab demonstration done where the whole class takes a field trip walk to Professor Spearrin's Lab. I think this should be thing in way more MAE classes, the amount of practical learning skyrockets when you can see things in person (you can't and shouldn't shove it all into 157 + 157A at the end of the degree). Overall I would recommend this class. Definitely difficult a difficult course, the midterm was hard but I wouldn't call it unfair. It was really awesome to be taught a course about a subject that the professor specializes in. One suggestion would be to put some additional clarifications in some of the problem set questions. I often found that there would be one or two problems per homework that weren't exactly clear if different problems tied together. This could leave you circling trying to figure out what to do until getting to talk to the TA and find out that you could re-use a value and complete the problem quickly.
Winter 2024 - This course was really cool, getting to learn the theory and practicalities of a subject you don't learn about in undergrad. The lecture and class format was great and the same as Professor Spearrin's other classes. Some of the problem sets in this class were very challenging, I found myself needing to consistently go to office hours to get clarifications on the course material. This wasn't a super bad thing, just an adjustment from other engineering courses that have generally easier problem sets. Shoutout to the TA Nick, he did a great job and was clearly super knowledgeable, he would always break down course material to fundamentals really well. I also really enjoyed the lab sessions at the end of class. The last homework was analyzing data from a lab demonstration done where the whole class takes a field trip walk to Professor Spearrin's Lab. I think this should be thing in way more MAE classes, the amount of practical learning skyrockets when you can see things in person (you can't and shouldn't shove it all into 157 + 157A at the end of the degree). Overall I would recommend this class. Definitely difficult a difficult course, the midterm was hard but I wouldn't call it unfair. It was really awesome to be taught a course about a subject that the professor specializes in. One suggestion would be to put some additional clarifications in some of the problem set questions. I often found that there would be one or two problems per homework that weren't exactly clear if different problems tied together. This could leave you circling trying to figure out what to do until getting to talk to the TA and find out that you could re-use a value and complete the problem quickly.
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