Here, the main physical chemistry topics of: bulk materials; thermodynamics, chemical equilibria and reaction kinetics, which control the rate of reaction, the yield of reaction, and the stability of a chemical system, are all introduced. The module also relates these principles to catalysis and enzyme catalysed reactions, and provides a grounding in material relevant for second year modules.
Practical laboratory classes will build upon concepts in accuracy and precision, and will involve the quantitative reaction of acid base systems measured using pH meters. Students will calculate the dissociation constant of weak acids and determine the enthalpy of solution from solubility measurements. They will also investigate the variation of reaction rates with temperature.