This class is a possible elective for students on Maths-based degrees, as it does not conflict with compulsory Mathematics/STAMS classes.
Details are given in good faith, but this class and its code or timetable may be subject to change or cancellation.
For further information on this class please contact The Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry (external link)
This class is an additional elective available in second/third year.
Core Details
| Semester | 1/2 |
|---|---|
| Credits | 10 |
Essential Prerequisites
Description
Thermodynamics
Basic ideas: system and surroundings. Functions of state, First law of thermodynamics and internal energy. Reversible expansion of a gas. A constant pressure process, a constant volume process.
A new state function: enthalpy. Relationship between internal energy (U) and enthalpy (H).
Enthalpy change: AH and its relationship with AU. Hess's law and how to derive the enthalpy change for a reaction from standard heats of formation. Heat capacity and how it tells us how much heat is required to heat or cool a substance. Using heat capacity data to calculate the exthalpy change for a reaction carried at a temperature other than 298K.
Spontaneous change: What makes a reaction go forward? What are the driving forces? Why enthalpy can't be the only driving force.
The second driving force: entropy. Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. Reversibility and entropy (or how to get useful information by doing a reaction impossibly slowly). Entropy and temperature. Absolute entropies and the third law of thermodynamics. AS phase change, Trounton's rule. Calculating the entropy of a pure substance at any temperature. Calculating the entropy change for a reaction at 298K and other temperatures.
Predicting whether reactions 'go': a new state function: Gibbs free energy the arbiter. Gibbs free energy and maximum work. The change in Gibbs free energy for a process, AG, and its relationship with AH and AS. Equilibrium and the reaction isotherm. The reaction isochore equation and its applications. The Clapeyron equation, the Classius-Clapeyron equation. Electrochemical cells and cell energetics. Standard electrode potentials. Electrochemical cell notation. Electrochemical half-cells, cell reactions and cell potential (emf).
Variation of cell emf with activity: the Nemst equation. Variation of emf with temperature. Redox reactions in solution: how to predict if one is feasible or not.
Kinetics
Introduction: simple techniques for measuring reaction rates, spectroscope HPLC etc… Defining rates of reaction and the form of rate equations. Relationship between rate equations and mechanisms. Determining reaction orders from experimental data.
Integrated rate expressions: Derivation of first-order. Half lives, Pseudo first-order. Derivation of second order rate expressions: Class 1, Class 2. Zero-order reactions. Elementary reactions and molecularity. Choosing between plausible reaction mechanisms. More complex reaction schemes: parallel reactions, series reactions. Effect of temperature on reaction rates: Arrhenius behaviour. Transition state theory and derivation of Eyring equation. Potential energy diagrams. Steady state approximation, introduction to enzyme kinetics.
Radiochemistry: Nuclear structure and stability, radioactive decay processes. Decay kinetics, applications in radioactive-dating, chemical analysis.
Timetable
Mon 11