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Physical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry offers a comprehensive collection of physical principles and mathematical techniques for majors, non-majors, and chemical engineers. Lucidly written, logically organized, and widely used, it offers thorough, balanced coverage of thermodynamics, kinetics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Recognizing the benefits of computer algebra software programs, the author has shifted his emphasis from formula derivation to numerical examples. Five appendices review the mathematics used in problem solving. Throughout the text students will find a greater number of real-world examples and problems than ever before.
953 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
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January 9, 2012
This is a very solid physical chemistry textbook. I first used it as an undergraduate, from the galley proofs provided by the author, and still refer to it on occasion. Some aspects, particularly the coverage of real gases and thermodynamics, are better than in any other text I have taught from or considered teaching from in the past fourteen years.
It is a particularly good text for teaching physical chemistry to chemical engineers. There is a a strong focus not just on the fundamentals used to understand the topic, but on the models and equations used when one is concerned with getting accurate answers. Most physical chemistry texts are written by chemists, and are more concerned (reasonably so) with the underlying physical models that explain why the chemistry happens the way it does. But most engineering students are not interested in learning about models unless they can provide quantitative results. This text does an excellent job of teaching not only the basic models that explain "why", but also the practical models that tell "how" or "how much", at least for the thermodynamics section of the book. The treatment of quantum mechanics is fairly standard.
The level of rigor is relatively high, which is appropriate in a physical chemistry course, but tends to make it unpopular among students who don't like to be challenged.
The third edition, which is still available, simplified the coverage of some topics, and also introduced a large number of errors. It is too bad that this first edition is no longer in print.
It is a particularly good text for teaching physical chemistry to chemical engineers. There is a a strong focus not just on the fundamentals used to understand the topic, but on the models and equations used when one is concerned with getting accurate answers. Most physical chemistry texts are written by chemists, and are more concerned (reasonably so) with the underlying physical models that explain why the chemistry happens the way it does. But most engineering students are not interested in learning about models unless they can provide quantitative results. This text does an excellent job of teaching not only the basic models that explain "why", but also the practical models that tell "how" or "how much", at least for the thermodynamics section of the book. The treatment of quantum mechanics is fairly standard.
The level of rigor is relatively high, which is appropriate in a physical chemistry course, but tends to make it unpopular among students who don't like to be challenged.
The third edition, which is still available, simplified the coverage of some topics, and also introduced a large number of errors. It is too bad that this first edition is no longer in print.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review