Understanding Physical Chemistry is a gentle introduction tothe principles and applications of physical chemistry. The bookaims to introduce the concepts and theories in a structured mannerthrough a wide range of carefully chosen examples and case studiesdrawn from everyday life. These real-life examples and applicationsare presented first, with any necessary chemical and mathematicaltheory discussed afterwards. This makes the book extremelyaccessible and directly relevant to the reader.Aimed at undergraduate students taking a first course inphysical chemistry, this book offers an accessibleapplications/examples led approach to enhance understanding andencourage and inspire the reader to learn more about thesubject.* A comprehensive introduction to physical chemistry startingfrom first principles.* Carefully structured into short, self-contained chapters.* Introduces examples and applications first, followed by thenecessary chemical theory.

Preface.Etymological Introduction.List of Symbols.Powers of Ten: Standard Prefixes.1. Introduction to physical chemistry .1.1 What is physical chemistry? Variables, relationships andlaws.1.2 The practice of thermodynamic measurement.1.3 Properties of gases and the gas laws.1.4 Further thoughts on energy.2. Introducing interactions and bonds.2.1 Physical and molecular interactions.2.2 Quantifying the interactions and their influence.2.3 Creating formal chemical bonds.3. Energy and the first law of thermodynamics.3.1 Introduction to thermodynamics: internal energy.3.2 Enthalpy.3.3 Indirect measurement of enthalpy.4. Reaction spontaneity and the direction of thermodynamicchange.4.1 The direction of physicochemical change: entropy.4.2 The temperature dependence of entropy.4.3 Introducing the Gibbs function.4.4 The effect of pressure on thermodynamic variables.4.5 Thermodynamics and the extent of reaction.4.6 The effect of temperature on thermodynamic variables.5. Phase equilibria.5.1 Ene rgetic introduction to phase equilibria.5.2 Pressure and temperature changes with a single-componentsystem: qualitative discussion.5.3 Quantitative effects of pressure and temperature change fora single-component system.5.4 Phase equilibria involving two-component systems:partition.5.5 Phase equilibria and colligative properties.5.6 Phase equilibria involving vapour pressure.6. Acids and bases.6.1 Properties of Lowry-Brønsted acids and bases.6.2 'Strong' and 'weak' acids andbases.6.3 Titration analyses.6.4 pH buffers.6.5 Acid-base indicators.7. Electrochemistry.7.1 Introduction to cells: terminology and background.7.2 Introducing half cells and electrode potentials.7.3 Activity.7.4 Half cells and the Nernst equation.7.5 Concentration cells.7.6 Transport phenomena.7.7 Batteries.8. Chemical kinetics.8.1 Kinetics definitions.8.2 Qualitative discussion of concentration changes.8.3 Quantitative concentration changes: integrated rateequations.8.4 Kinetic treatment of complicated reactions.8.5 Thermodynamic considerations: activation energy, absolutereaction rates and catalysis.9. Physical chemistry involving light: spectroscopy andphotochemistry.9.1 Introduction to photochemistry.9.2 Photon absorptions and the effect of wavelength.9.3 Photochemical and spectroscopic selection rules.9.4 Photophysics: emission and loss processes.9.5 Other optical effects.10. Adsorption and surfaces, colloids and micelles.10.1 Adsorption and definitions.10.2 Colloids and interfacial science.10.3 Colloid stability.10.4 Association colloids: micelles.Answers to SAQs.Bibliography.