Physical Chemistry (or p-chem) is the area of chemistry that overlaps with physics. If one considers physics to be the study of energy and its transformations, and chemistry as the study of matter and its transformations, physical chemistry can then be seen as the study of the interactions of energy and matter. In this semester, we will focus on the more macroscopic descriptions of these interactions. Topics will include gas laws and their derivation from a kinetic molecular theory, thermochemistry and the First Law of Thermodynamics, The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, and Chemical Kinetics.
Physical Chemistry is notorious as a “difficult” subject for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is the extensive use of mathematics to explore the topics. In this course, we will make use of everything you have learned in calculus, as well as building on those skills to include techniques of manipulation of functions involving multiple independent variables. (As I often say – many people see Calculus as a “college course” whereas scientists see calculus as a tool needed to do their work.) Even if you are at a point of minimal comfort with the math we use going into this course, it is hoped that you will have grown significantly in your level of comfort in using it by the end.
Many of the biggest questions we face as a society and a planet today revolve around the consequences of how we choose to use, produce, store, and recover energy. Can we produce and transmit energy inexpensively? Can we do it while minimizing environmental impacts? How much energy do we need to produce? While we won’t address these questions directly, we will build some of the tools needed to begin to address these questions (or to critically evaluate the methodologies others suggest while addressing these questions. It is my hope that completion of this course will empower you in several areas of your professional and personal lives, in part by helping you to grow in your ability to utilize scientific knowledge and understanding to better address the questions that will affect your generation.
In my experience, most students take this course as part of a broader chemistry or biochemistry curriculum, with few actually persuing Physical Chemistry as a long-term objective. And that's okay. Your journey should be defined by your choices, your goals, and your passions. But, as in many courses, Physical Chemistry is an important component of your education as a Scientist. In this course, we will show how we can construct a model and "kick the tires" of that model to test its robustness. And this is well within the essential skill-set of any scientist. So while some of the material is essential foundational knowledge for any Chemist or Biochemist (I'm looking at you, chapters 3, 5, 10, 12, and 13), a great deal of material may appear essoteric, optional, or otherwise "something I just need to survive." It is my sincerest hope that you are able to see past this minimal goal and recognize the growth potential you have in learning how to apply the higher levels of questioning and reasoning. Because these skills will be essential for you to succeed along your pathway as a scientist.
Some courses in the curriculum are about building a foundation of knowlege and understanding, while others are about gaining training in important skills. This course will have elements of both. But even in the courses that lay foundational knowlege, it is unreasoable to expect ultimate mastery simply by taking an undergraduate course in a topic. Rather, what you are gaining is an insight into how scientists think about certain types of problems or issues. If one likens a career to an artist creating a painting, the undergraduate eduction is really more about learning about the paints and canvas. How you create your own work of art will depend on what you do with the knowledge and skills you develop now, and how your future experiences allow you to build further.
And so, while the painting you create that depicts your journey as a scientist, is most certainly yours to create how you see fit, it is my greatest hope that this course will be a useful piece of the puzzle that helps you to understand the canvas on which you are painting. Paint well, and never sell yourself short! You may just surprise yourself.
