PHYSICS CHEMISTRY 1 (MOD. A)
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Having attended the lecture course Istituzioni d Matematiche I (useful concepts: logarithms and exponentials, the concept of mathematical function, derivatives and integrals, combinatorial calculus, multivariate calculus, partial derivatives and differentials) and Chimica Generale ed Inorganica I (useful concepts: chemical reactions, units of measure, stoichiometry and the principles of chemical equilibrium).
Written and viva voce exam, focusing on tackling the quantitative aspects of simple chemical phenomena and their theoretical analysis exploiting the tools provided by classical thermodynamics.
• Knowledge of the key thermodynamic processes, of the key measurable quantities and of their physical and chemical meaning, both at the macroscopic and microscopic levels of detail;
• Ability in selecting the appropriate concepts, formulae and equations to be employed while tackling quantitative questions and analyzing experimental data or the quantitative features of macroscopic systems; ability in extrapolating or simplifying complicate systems to allow their thermodynamic analysis;
• Estimating the impact due to the simplification introduced in a quantitative analysis and the generated errors, as well as of differences between processes, systems and their physical states;
• Capability of transferring physical insights and quantitative analysis to the work team.
Introduction to Physical Chemistry and its various branches.
Principles and definitions. System and Environment: open, closed, isolated and adiabatic systems. Models and abstractions. Macroscopic and Microscopic viewpoints: the concept of molecule and its aggregates. Macroscopic quantities, abstract definition of temperature and thermal equilibrium. Zeroth law of thermodynamics. Experimental equation of state. State variables.
Gases: ideal gas laws (Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac, Avogadro); PVT diagrams; Equation of state for ideal gases. Kinetic theory of gases. Examples of spontaneous processes and molecular disorder/energy. Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of velocities. Real gases: molecular interactions, compression ratio; the phase changes and the critical constants; equation of van der Waals and other equations of state; principle of corresponding states.
First law of thermodynamics
Work, heat and internal energy; conservation of energy; compression and expansion work; isothermal expansion; heat capacity at constant volume and constant pressure; relation between Cp and Cv; relationship between molecular structure, physical state and specific heat. Enthalpy; enthalpy changes with temperature; standard enthalpy of transformation, Hess's law, enthalpy of formation, Born-Haber cycle; Kirchhoff's law; state functions; variations of internal energy; expansion coefficient; isothermal compressibility; Joule-Thomson coefficient; adiabatic expansion.
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Spontaneous processes, the statistical definition of entropy and thermodynamics: entropy change in irreversible processes; Clausius’ inequality; entropy changes in specific processes; entropy measures; Entropy of an ideal gas. Nernst theorem and third law of thermodynamics; efficiency of thermal processes: maximum work, the Carnot cycle, thermodynamic temperature scale; refrigeration; Gibbs energy; functions of the standard molar Gibbs; fundamental equation of thermodynamics; Gibbs ‘ function properties, Gibbs-Helmholtz equation; chemical potential of an ideal gas; real gases and fugacity; standard states; open systems and chemical potential: fundamental equation.
Physical transformations of pure substances
Phase diagrams; phase equilibrium; Clapeyron equation; solid-liquid, liquid-vapor and solid-vapor equilibrium; Clausius-Clapeyron equation, phase transitions.
Properties of simple mixtures
Partial molar quantities; Gibbs-Duhem equation; Gibbs function, enthalpy, entropy of mixing; chemical potential of a liquid; ideal solutions: Raoult's law, Henry's law; mixtures of liquids; colligative properties: boiling point elevation and freezing point depression, solubility, osmosis; mixtures of volatile liquids: diagrams vapor pressure-temperature-composition and composition; distillation, azeotropes; real solutions: activity coefficient, standard states of the solvent and the solute.
Chemical equilibrium
Changes in Gibbs function due to a reaction; reaction equilibrium; equilibrium composition; equilibrium constant and the change in standard Gibbs function for a reaction; influence of pressure and temperature on the equilibrium: Le Chatelier's principle; van't Hoff equation; examples of reaction equilibria.
Robert J. Silbey, Robert A. Alberty, Moungi G. Bawendi, Physical Chemistry IV Ed., Wiley
Ken A. Dill, Sarina Bromberg, Molecular Driving Forces II Ed., Garland Science
Peter Atkins, Julio de Paula, Atkins’ Physical Chemistry IX Ed., Oxford University Press
Course handouts and notes, web sites providing relevant material.
• Frontal teaching (48 hours): theoretical introduction and explanation of new concepts; quantitative problem solving.
• Quantitative problem solving: (24-30 hours, with tutor): analysis of physical systems and processes, answering quantitative questions on the course material.
Receives for additional explanations any day, by appointment.