Calculus for Chemistry (University of Groningen)

Overview

This is a compulsory course for students in the University of Groningen programs BSc Chemistry and BSc Chemical Engineering. I taught this course from 2014 to 2019 in classes of 250-300 students. In 2017 I was elected Teacher of the Year in the BSc Chemical Engineering for this course 😄.

Course Description

The course starts with refreshing and improving basic mathematical skills. Then real functions of one real variable are treated: standard and composed functions, models, limits, derivatives, extrema, Taylor expansions, integration (applications and techniques). Subsequently complex numbers are introduced. Finally, differential equations are solved to describe processes in physics, economy, medical sciences, etc. This topic includes: initial value problems, directional fields, equilibrium and stability, separation of variables, variation of constants, homogeneous and inhomogeneous systems, Euler’s method, conversion of complex solutions into real-valued solutions. The material is illustrated through examples that focus on the applications of mathematical techniques.

Literature

Calculus: Early Transcendentals, James Stewart, 7th edition, Brooks/Cole, 2012.