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Spring 2016
Principles of biophysical chemistry 11:115:409
Class times: WF 9:15 – 10:35 am
Room: LOR 115
Instructor: Dr. Natalya Voloshchuk
Office: 129 Lipman Hall
Lab: 206 Lipman Hall
E-mail: nv158@rci.rutgers.edu
Office hours: by appointment
LEARNING GOALS:


understand application of thermodynamics, kinetics, and quantum theory to characterization
of biomolecular structures and functions
apply physical chemistry to quantitative and conceptual problem solving in biochemistry
ASSESSMENT of students’ achievement of learning goals:
Exams, problem sets
TEXT: Physical chemistry for life sciences, Peter Atkins and Julio De Paula, 2nd ed., 2011, W.H.
Freeman and Company, New York, ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-3114-5
Reading assignments come primarily from the textbook. Additional sources will be used when
necessary.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
In this course you are bound by all the academic standards detailed in Rutgers University
Academic Integrity Policy: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/.
Grading
Problem sets 40%
Exams
60%
A  89%, B+/B  78%, C+/C  68%, D+/D > 60%, F  60%
Grading will be based on 4 exams and 10 problem sets. Each exam will be worth 15% of our
grade. There will be no makeup exams. Problems for each topic will be formally assigned and
the average of the ten problem sets will be worth 40% of your grade. Students are expected to
carry out problems like the homework assignments on the exams. Problem sets must be handed
in on the due date at the beginning of the class. Late problem sets will be counted as 0.
Study tips: Principles of biophysical chemistry is a problems-oriented course. You must spend
the time to work out problems at the end of each chapter. In general, the more chapter problems
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you can solve the better you will do on the exam. You will not do well if you wait until two or
three days before the exam to study.
Lecture and exam schedule:
meeting
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
date
1/20/16
1/22/16
1/27/16
1/29/16
2/3/16
2/5/16
2/10/16
2/12/16
2/17/16
2/19/16
2/24/16
2/26/16
3/2/16
3/4/16
3/9/16
3/11/16
3/23/16
3/25/16
3/30/16
4/1/16
4/6/16
4/8/16
4/13/16
4/15/16
4/20/16
4/22/16
4/27/16
4/29/16
Scheduled
final exam
time
topic
The first Law (chapter 1)
assignment
The second law (chapter 2)
Phase equilibria (chapter 3)
HW 1 is due
HW 2 is due
Problem solving, review
EXAM I
Chemical equilibria (chapter 4)
HW 3 is due
Ion and electron transport (chapter 5)
HW 4 is due
Problem solving, review
EXAM II
Kinetics. Reaction rates (chapter 6)
Rate laws and mechanisms (chapter 7)
HW 5 is due
Complex mechanisms (chapter 8)
HW 7 is due
Problem solving, review
EXAM III
Quantum theory (chapter 9)
HW 8 is due
Bonding (chapter 10)
HW 9 is due
Spectroscopy (chapter 12)
HW 10 is due
HW 6 is due
Problem solving, review
EXAM IV
**Note: This syllabus is subject to change, particularly the lecture topics. You will be notified of
changes in class.