San Antonio College Library

A lively history of science that explains the concepts of physical chemistry. Having previously taught chemistry, Cobb (physics and mathematics, Aiken Preparatory School) sets out to portray the splendor and complexities of physical chemistry, and tell stories of its heroes and heroines. She uses analogy and example rather than mathematics, to be accessible to non-scientists.

For centuries, chemists tried to organize elements around patterns of chemical and physical trends. Physical characteristics, including atomic radius and reactivity, depend on electron configuration and can be teased from a careful understanding of the periodic table. Today the periodic table is continually updated as new heavy elements are synthesized in research laboratories.

Use this second practice set to keep building your knowledge of the ideal gas law and variables such as temperature and pressure. Expect to find questions about kinetic-molecular theory, the van der Waals equation, and the ways in which real gases can deviate from ideal-gas predictions. It includes 15 questions, plus detailed answer explanations that break down the key concepts.

From an instantaneous explosion to the slow rusting of iron, the rates at which different chemical reactions proceed can vary tremendously depending temperature and concentration. Chemists want to slow down or speed up reaction rates. One way to do this is to use a catalyst. In this video, we will learn about catalysts and how using them can lead to cheaper, more effective drug production processes.

Visual representations of atoms bonding to form molecules-called Lewis structures-provide information to predict the three-dimensional shapes of molecules using valence shell electron pair repulsion ("VSEPR") theory. The shapes of molecules relates to the effectiveness of important antibiotics such as penicillin. Scientists can manipulate shapes of molecules to help design new cancer-treating drugs.

"With the development of a variety of exciting new areas of research involving computational chemistry, nano- and smart materials, and applications of the recently discovered graphene, there can be no doubt that physical chemistry is a vitally important field. It is also perceived as the most daunting branch of chemistry, being necessarily grounded in physics and mathematics and drawing as it does on quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and statistical...

Identification of electrons, protons, and neutrons led to a modern subatomic theory. The study of atomic spectra-the light given off by atoms at definite wavelengths-led to the Bohr atomic model, where electrons at distinct energy levels move between these levels by absorbing and emitting discrete quanta of energy. The measurement of atomic spectra has applications in astrophysics as well as forensic chemistry.

Metals allow the transfer of electrons through a process called oxidation-reduction, or "redox," when one species gains electrons while another loses them. Chemists use electron transfers to power the batteries in our flashlights, phones, or cars. In biochemistry trace metals, such as cobalt in Vitamin B12, often drive essential chemical reactions for human health. Redox reactions also occur without metals, as in lightening hair color.

Many chemical reactions involve explosions, bubbling gases, flames, and smoke because energy is being transferred from one form to another-the realm of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics, the rules for predicting the progress of a reaction and harnessing the energy released, is key to solving engineering problems, such as making cleaner and more efficient automobile engines.

The study of reaction kinetics - how fast chemical reactions happen - gives chemists insight into a range of chemical problems, from the ozone hole to enzyme reactions in living creatures. This text provides students with an accessible account of basic and applied aspects of chemical kinetics.