Includes bibliographical references (p. [533]-564) and indexes.

Preface.Etymological Introduction.List of Symbols.Powers of Ten: Standard Prefixes.1. Introduction to physical chemistry .1.1 What is physical chemistry? Variables, relationships and laws.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 thermodynamic change.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-component system: qualitative discussion.5.3 Quantitative effects of pressure and temperature change for a 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-Bronsted acids and bases.6.2 'Strong' and 'weak' acids and bases.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 rate equations.8.4 Kinetic treatment of complicated reactions

Understanding Physical Chemistry is a gentle introduction to the principles and applications of physical chemistry. The book aims to introduce the concepts and theories in a structured manner through a wide range of carefully chosen examples and case studies drawn from everyday life. These real-life examples and applications are presented first, with any necessary chemical and mathematical theory discussed afterwards. This makes the book extremely accessible and directly relevant to the reader. Aimed at undergraduate students taking a first course in physical chemistry, this book offers an accessible applications/examples led approach to enhance understanding and encourage and inspire the reader to learn more about the subject. A comprehensive introduction to physical chemistry starting from first principles. Carefully structured into short, self-contained chapters. Introduces examples and applications first, followed by the necessary chemical theory.