Physical Chemistry (2^nd Ed.) A Modern Introduction, Second Edition

Designed for a two-semester introductory course sequence in physical chemistry, Physical Chemistry: A Modern Introduction, Second Edition offers a streamlined introduction to the subject. Focusing on core concepts, the text stresses fundamental issues and includes basic examples rather than the myriad of applications often presented in other, more encyclopedic books. Physical chemistry need not appear as a large assortment of different, disconnected, and sometimes intimidating topics. Instead, students should see that physical chemistry provides a coherent framework for chemical knowledge, from the molecular to the macroscopic level.

The book offers:

• Novel organization to foster student understanding, giving students the strongest sophistication in the least amount of time and preparing them to tackle more challenging topics
• Strong problem-solving emphasis, with numerous end-of-chapter practice exercises, over two dozen in-text worked examples, and a number of clearly identified spreadsheet exercises
• A quick review in calculus, via an appendix providing the necessary mathematical background for the study of physical chemistry
• Powerful streamlined development of group theory and advanced topics in quantum mechanics, via appendices covering molecular symmetry and special quantum mechanical approaches

World of Atoms and Molecules. Ideal and Real Gases. Changes of State. Phases and Multicomponent Systems. Activity and Equilibrium of Gases and Solutions. Chemical Reactions: Kinetics, Dynamics, and Equilibrium. Vibrational Mechanics of Particle Systems. Molecular Quantum Mechanics. Vibrational–Rotational Spectroscopy. Electronic Structure. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Introduction to Surface Chemistry.

Appendices: Mathematical Background. Molecular Symmetry. Special Quantum Mechanical Approaches. Table of Integrals. Table of Atomic Masses and Nuclear Spins. Fundamental Constants and Conversion of Units. Tables. Points of Interest. Atomic Masses and Percent Natural Abundance of Light Elements. Values of Constants. The Greek Alphabet.

William M. Davis received his BSc (honors) in chemistry from the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada, and his MSc and PhD from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He taught lecture and laboratory sections of general, physical, and inorganic chemistry at several Canadian universities before moving to Texas to take up a tenure-track position at The University of Texas at Brownsville, where he taught general, physical, inorganic, analytical, organic, and environmental chemistry for 10 years. In 2008, he moved to Texas Lutheran University, where he is currently an Associate Professor and Chair of Chemistry and holds the George Kieffer Fellowship in Science. Dr. Davis’s research interests include application of computational and analytical chemistry techniques to systems of environmental and biochemical interest.