Department of Chemistry, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
CH10172: Physical chemistry 1 for visiting students |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Certificate |
| Period: | Semester 1 |
| Assessment:
| EX100 |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Supplementary assessment information not currently available (this will be added shortly) |
| Requisites:
| In taking this unit you cannot take CH10137 or take CH10138 |
| Description: | Aims: To introduce the basic concepts of physical chemistry upon which understanding of modern chemistry depends. These include the principles governing chemical processes in terms of thermodynamic properties, the measurement and analysis of reaction rates, molecular spectroscopy and basic quantum mechanics. Learning Outcomes: After studying this unit, students should be able to achieve: * Describe simply the role of thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy and quantum mechanics in chemistry; * Discuss the fundamental ideas lying behind thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy and quantum mechanics and how they can be used to interpret chemical behaviour; * Perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of and solve problems involving thermodynamic and kinetic concepts and data; * Solve numerical problems in of thermodynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy and quantum mechanics * Apply some basic mathematical methods to the solution of chemical problems. Skills: Numeracy (F, A); Problem solving (T, F, A); Oral communication (F). Content: * The world of gases: ideal and non-ideal gases. Intermolecular forces: vapours, liquids and solutions. First law of thermodynamics and thermochemistry: energy changes in chemical reactions. Entropy and free energy. * Reaction kinetics, stoichiometry, molecularity; reaction rate and order: half-life; integrated rate equations. * Experimental methods in reaction kinetics. Arrhenius equation. Consecutive reactions; intermediates; rate limiting steps; chain reactions; catalysis. * UV/visible spectrophotometry. Rotational spectroscopy; rigid rotor model. * Basic principles of quantum mechanics; wavefunctions, eigenvalues and operators. * Solving the Schrödinger equation, the calculation of energy levels and comparison with experiment. |