Physical Chemistry Basics

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Study Notes

Thermodynamics: Study of relationships between heat, work, and energy.
Kinetics: Study of rates of chemical reactions.
Mechanics: Study of motion of particles and systems.
Quantum Mechanics: Study of behavior of matter and energy at atomic and subatomic level.
Spectroscopy: Study of interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation.

Thermodynamic Systems: Isolated, closed, or open systems, with boundaries that allow or restrict exchange of energy and matter.
State Functions: Properties that depend only on the state of the system, not the path by which it reached that state (e.g., internal energy, entropy).
Equilibrium: State in which the rates of forward and reverse reactions are equal.
Activation Energy: Minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.
Catalysts: Substances that speed up reactions without being consumed.

Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics: If two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third system, they are also in thermal equilibrium with each other.
First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.
Second Law of Thermodynamics: Total entropy of an isolated system always increases over time.
Third Law of Thermodynamics: As the temperature of a system approaches absolute zero, its entropy approaches a minimum value.

Thermodynamics is the study of relationships between heat, work, and energy.
Kinetics is the study of rates of chemical reactions.
Mechanics is the study of motion of particles and systems.
Quantum Mechanics is the study of behavior of matter and energy at atomic and subatomic level.
Spectroscopy is the study of interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation.

Thermodynamic Systems are classified as isolated, closed, or open systems, with boundaries that allow or restrict exchange of energy and matter.
State Functions are properties that depend only on the state of the system, not the path by which it reached that state.
Equilibrium is a state in which the rates of forward and reverse reactions are equal.
Activation Energy is the minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.
Catalysts are substances that speed up reactions without being consumed.

The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics states that if two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third system, they are also in thermal equilibrium with each other.
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system always increases over time.
The Third Law of Thermodynamics states that as the temperature of a system approaches absolute zero, its entropy approaches a minimum value.

The Ideal Gas Law is PV = nRT, relating pressure, volume, and temperature of an ideal gas.
The Van 't Hoff Equation is ΔG = ΔH - TΔS, relating the change in Gibbs free energy to the change in enthalpy and entropy.
The Arrhenius Equation is k = Ae^(-Ea/RT), relating the rate constant of a reaction to the activation energy and temperature.

Materials Science involves the development of new materials with unique properties.
Nanotechnology involves the study of behavior of matter at nanoscale.
Environmental Science involves the study of chemical processes in the environment.
Biophysics involves the study of physical principles underlying biological systems.