CHEM 421 - Physical Chemistry I

(3 units)

Fundamental principles including thermodynamics, phase equilibria, non-ideal systems, electrochemistry, and introductory statistical mechanics. Credit not allowed in both CHEM 421 and CHEM 425.

Prerequisite(s): CHEM 242 or CHEM 342; MATH 182; PHYS 152 or PHYS 181. If Chemical Engineering major: CHEM 241 or CHEM 341; MATH 182; PHYS 181. If Environmental Engineering major: CHEM 220A or CHEM 241 or CHEM 341; MATH 182; PHYS 181. Recommended Preparation: MATH 283.

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. derive relationships among physical and chemical properties using thermodynamics concepts and the laws of thermodynamics.
2. apply state functions including energy, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs energy, and Helmholtz energy to analyze systems and processes.
3. apply thermodynamic relationships to chemical and physical systems, including heat engines, chemical reactions, phase equilibria, and electrochemical systems.
4. explain the behavior of ideal gases, real gases, and supercritical fluids and the phase equilibria of single- and multi-component systems through quantitative relationships.
5. determine the reaction order, half-life, and time-dependence of reactant and product concentrations from a reaction rate law expression.
6. derive a rate law from a multistep chemical reaction mechanism.

Click here for course scheduling information. | Check course textbook information