PH563-Group Theory Methods(2019-20)

Course Name: Group Theory Methods

Course Code:   PH563

Credits: 6

Course Instructor: P. Ramadevi 

Course Type:    Honors/ Department Elective

Prerequisites:  No formal prerequisite. However, acquaintance with QM1 and Classical Mechanics is helpful.

Course Content:  
Discrete Groups: Symmetry Groups, Permutation Groups, Direct product, semi direct product
Molecular Symmetry
Reducible and Irreducible Representations
Orthogonality Theorem
Character table: Mulliken Notation and Tensor product representation
Molecular Vibrations: Selection rules, Normal modes
Continuous Group: Orthogonal Group, Lie Algebra, Unitary Group
Lorentz Transform
SU(2), SU(3), SO groups
Clebsch-Gordan coefficients
Hydrogen energy levels and symmetry breaking

Useful Books:

Lecture Notes are sufficient.
Group theory and its applications: Hammermesh
Chemical Applications of Group Theory: F. Albert Cotton (for Group representation and Molecular Symmetry)

Online Study Material:
Lecture videos were also available on CDEEP.

Lectures:
Blackboard and slides were used for teaching. The professor was approachable and doubts/questions were entertained. 80% attendance policy was strictly enforced.

Assignments/Tutorials
There were five graded assignments. The difficulty ranged from easy to medium. Tutorials/doubt sessions were organized on the weekends.

Exams
One quiz + Midsem + Endsem + Assignments. Exams were moderately difficult. However, one could score decent grades with regular attendance and continuous efforts.

Pro-tips:
Make sure you take down notes.

Personal Comments:

The course simply touches upon the applications of group theory. The motive is to introduce new approach to understanding problems that you may have solved in your QM/Classical mech courses. Mathematically, it is not very rigorous.

Respondent: Nitish Ujjwal