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CHEM 105: Physical Chemistry Laboratory: Find Spectra and Physical Property Data

Resources to help you find articles and data for your physical chemistry lab experiments. Shortcut: libguides.ucsd.edu/chem105.

Online Resources for Spectra and Physical Property Data

Print Resources for Spectra and Physical Property Data

We still have a lot of property data handbooks in the library, including classic titles like Herzberg's Molecular Spectra and Molecular Structure. We have multiple copies of Volumes 1-3 (Spectra of Diatomic Molecules; Infrared and Raman Spectra of Polyatomic Molecules; Electronic Spectra and Electronic Structure of Polyatomic Molecules) that can be checked out. An additional set of Volumes 1-3, plus Volume 4 (Constants of Diatomic Molecules, which as data like v00 values) are in the reference collection. 

There are several ways to locate data handbooks in the library. UC Library Search may be helpful depending on the property in question. Adding tables or data to the search can refine your results. We also have guides with additional research guides for Spectra and Physical Property Data.

Going from the Print Handbook to the Original Journal Articles

Article citations were often abbreviated to save space. For example, next to the property data value you may see something like Ref. 14. Then you go to the list of references for that section to find:

This means the article, authored by Verma, can be found in the Journal of Chemical Physics, volume 32, starting on page 738, published in 1960. The book should have a list of journal and book abbreviations, so you'll know that JCP = Journal of Chemical Physics. But you have enough information here to browse or search for this article on the JCP website.

Units, Quantities & Constants in Physical Chemistry