This chapter focuses on the units which are fundamental to the understanding and application of physical chemistry. It describes the Système International d'Unités (SI) system of units. This has been in use since 1970 and consists of seven base units, of which six are commonly used in chemistry. These measure mass, length, time, electrical current, temperature, and amount of substance. There is a seventh unit, namely luminous intensity, but this is only rarely relevant in chemistry. The chapter includes activities that determine the derived units for kinetic energy. These activities show that the unit for potential energy is equivalent to that of kinetic energy.
Chapter
Fundamentals
Book
Michael Hornby and Josephine Peach
Foundations of Organic Chemistry offers an introduction to this subject which is at the core of chemistry. The first three chapters introduce some basic physical chemistry, and lay the groundwork for the mechanistic organic chemistry covered later in the book. The importance of bonding and mechanism are stressed throughout, and readers are encouraged to apply their chemical knowledge in new and unfamiliar situations in order to develop and sustain their interest. A wide range of examples including natural products and pharmaceuticals is included, with the final chapter exploring some new developments and providing an introduction to current research.
Book
Andrew Burrows, John Holman, Simon Lancaster, Tina Overton, Andrew Parsons, Gwen Pilling, and Gareth Price
Chemistry
3
covers organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry to provide balanced coverage of the fundamentals of chemistry. Chemistry is widely considered to be the central science: it encompasses concepts on which all other branches of science are developed. Yet for many, gaining a firm grounding in chemistry is a real challenge. The text tackles head-on two issues pervading chemistry education: mathematical skills, and the ability to see the subject as a single, unified discipline. Topics covered include molecules (diatomic and polyatomic), acids and bases, gases, and molecular spectroscopy and characterization. There are also chapters looking at energy and thermochemistry, entropy, Gibbs energy, chemical equilibrium, and electrochemistry. The latter half of the book covers phase equilibrium and solutions, isomerism and stereochemistry, organic reaction mechanisms, and halogenoalkanes. Next, the text moves on to alkenes and alkynes, benzene and other aromatic compounds, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives, and hydrogen. Finally, the last three chapters cover s-, p-, and d-Block chemistry.
Book
James Keeler and Peter Wothers
Why Chemical Reactions Happen provides all the tools and concepts needed to think like a chemist. The text takes a unified approach to the subject, aiming to help with the development of a real overview of chemical processes, by avoiding the traditional divisions of physical, inorganic, and organic chemistry. To understand how chemical reactions happen we need to know about the bonding in molecules, how molecules interact, what determines whether an interaction is favourable or not, and what the outcome will be. Answering these questions requires an understanding of topics from quantum mechanics, through thermodynamics, to ‘curly arrows’.
Book
Joanne Elliott and Elizabeth Page
Workbook in Physical Chemistry opens with a chapter on the fundamentals of this field. It then looks at thermodynamics before covering chemical equilibrium. After that, there follows a chapter on phase equilibrium. Towards the end there is a chapter which covers reaction kinetics. The final chapter looks at electrochemistry.
Book
Nathan Lawrence, Jay Wadhawan, and Richard Compton
Foundations of Physical Chemistry presents a grounding in the field of physical chemistry. The early chapters cover the structure of atoms, ions and molecules, reactivity, kinetics, and equilibria. The final chapter gives an insight into more advanced areas, drawing on real-world examples.
Book
Michael Hornby and Josephine Peach
Foundations of Organic Chemistry provides problems, with answers and tutorial guidance, on organic chemistry. The first three chapters cover basic physical organic chemistry, setting the scene for the mechanistic organic chemistry covered later. Chapters look at molecules, mechanisms, acids and bases, reactions with nucleophiles, reactions with electrophiles, and reactions with radical intermediates.
Chapter
Introduction
This introductory chapter provides an overview of solid surfaces, which are of particular importance in everyday life. Some of the most important areas in which they play a vital role include heterogeneous catalysis and corrosion. The behaviour of surfaces is also crucial in the fields of electrochemistry, photography, colloids, optics, data storage, and, increasingly, in biological applications such as the use of membranes and biosensors. Thus, the study of surfaces and their behaviour requires a wide range of chemical knowledge and understanding. This books assumes a knowledge of the basic principles of physical chemistry, especially kinetics, dynamics, and thermodynamics. The chapter then looks at the single crystal surface, before outlining the techniques for studying surfaces.
