C1740 Principles of Physical Chemistry

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Markéta Munzarová, Dr. rer. nat. (lecturer)
Mgr. Hugo Semrád, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Markéta Munzarová, Dr. rer. nat.
Department of Chemistry – Chemistry Section – Faculty of Science
Supplier department: Department of Chemistry – Chemistry Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
A mathematics course within the scope of the first semester of bachelor study programs in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics or environmental studies.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
A. Understanding basic concepts of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics with a relation to previous, simultaneous and following courses. B. Step-by-step development of abstract thinking.
Learning outcomes
After completing this course students will understand, at an introductory level, fundamental concepts of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics. Students will be able to solve corresponding computational exercises and will develop skills to derive basic thermodynamic relationships.
Syllabus
  • 1. Ideal gas. Internal energy.
  • Equation of state of an ideal gas. Gas mixtures. Basic concepts of thermodynamics. Internal energy. The first law of thermodynamics.
  • 2. Volumetric work and thermal effects.
  • Volumetric work: summary of relationships and their interpretation. Thermal effects: calorimetry and heat capacities. Enthalpy vs. internal energy, calorimetry.
  • 3. Thermochemistry.
  • Standard enthalpy. Enthalpy changes during physical and chemical transformations, the Born-Haber cycle. Standard enthalpy of fusion. Hess's Law.
  • 4. Second law of thermodynamics I.
  • Entropy: thermodynamic definition and statistical view, entropy as a state variable, Clausius inequality. Entropy changes accompanying selected events.
  • 5. Second law of thermodynamics II.
  • The third law of thermodynamics. Helmholtz and Gibbs energy: Arbitrary and maximum work criteria. Standard molar Gibbs energy. Connection of the first and second laws of thermodynamics: FunDependence of Gibbs energy on temperature and pressure.
  • 6. Phase transitions of pure substances.
  • Phase diagrams: phase stability, coexistence curves, three typical phase diagrams. Thermodynamic aspects of phase transitions: Dependence of stability on conditions. Clausius-Clapeyron equation.
  • 7. Simple mixtures I: Thermodynamic description. Chemical potential. Gibbs-Duhem equation. Gibbs energy of mixing of ideal gases. Ideal and ideal dilute solutions. Raoult's and Henry's law. Colligative properties: increase in boiling point, decrease in melting point, osmosis.
  • 8. Simple mixtures II: Properties of solutions.
  • vapor pressure diagrams. Temperature-composition diagrams: distillation of mixtures, azeotropes. Phase diagrams of two-component mixtures.
  • 9. Chemical equilibrium I.
  • Molality. Saturated vapor pressure reduction. Decreasing the melting point and increasing the boiling point. Osmosis. Reversibility of reactions. Equilibrium and the law of action of matter. Thermodynamic origin of equilibrium constants.
  • 10. Chemical equilibrium II.
  • Equilibrium constants expressed using molar concentrations of gases. Other forms of equilibrium constants. The extent and direction of the reaction. Using equilibrium constants. Response of equilibria to changing conditions.
  • 11. Electrochemistry I.
  • Description of redox reactions: half-reactions, total reactions and their balance. Galvanic cells: Structure, cell potential and reaction free energy. Notation for articles. Standard potentials. Electrochemical series.
  • 12. Electrochemistry II.
  • Standard potentials and equilibrium constants. Nernst equation. Electrolytic cells. Products of electrolysis. Electrochemistry in biochemistry.
  • 13. Chemical kinetics I.
  • Reaction rates: concentration and average reaction rate, instantaneous reaction rate, rate laws and reaction order. Concentration and time: 1st-order rate law in  integrated form, half-times of first-order reactions, 2nd-order rate law in  integrated form.
  • 14. Chemical kinetics II.
  • Reaction mechanisms: Elementary reactions and their rate laws, iron reactions, rates and equilibrium. Reaction models: effect of temperature, transition state theory. Acceleration of reactions: catalysis and enzymes.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • ATKINS, P. W. and Julio DE PAULA. Fyzikální chemie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze, 2013, xxvi, 915. ISBN 9788070808306. info
  • ATKINS, P. W. and Julio DE PAULA. Atkins' physical chemistry. 8th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006, xxx, 1064. ISBN 0198700725. info
    not specified
  • ATKINS, P. W. Fyzikálna chémia. 6. vyd. Bratislava: Slovenská technická univerzita v Bratislave, 1999, 308 s. ISBN 80-227-1238-8. info
Teaching methods
The subject consists of 14 lectures. With them, the presentations are only supplementary material, the most important thing is the oral interpretation with notes on the virtual board. Teachers use colored pens (black, red, blue, green, and orange), and having a similar range of colors available for notes is useful. Attendance at lectures is optional. However, practice shows that attending lectures significantly increases the probability of success or getting a good grade on an exam.
Assessment methods
Final written test lasting 110 minutes. It contains mostly open theoretical questions and calculation tasks. The minimum required score for successful completion is 60% points. Voluntary oral re-examination allows the grade to be improved by 1, exceptionally by 2 grades.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
Course C1745 Principles of Physical Chemistry - seminar is strongly recommended as a significant aid to the successful completion of course C1740.
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