Chemistry for Physicists I

Abstract

Introductory course in chemistry.

Objective

Chemical language (concepts, chemical formulas, nomenclature, systematics). Substances (structure and properties of chemical substances). Reactions (types of reactions, chemical equilibrium thermodynamics, chemical kinetics). Methods (separation and purification of substances, analytical methods, spectroscopy in chemistry).

Content

Contents of Chemistry for Physicists I & II: Introduction (information sources; production, properties and safety of chemical substances; mixtures and separation methods). Description of chemical systems (concentration measures; chemical reaction equation; reaction number). Periodic system of elements (theoretical basis; properties of elements, atomic spectroscopy). Chemical bonding (ionic bonding; covalent bonding). Organic chemistry (bonding models; mesomerism; functional groups; systematics of substances; nomenclature of organic compounds; stereochemistry; hydrocarbons; halogenated alkanes; alcohols; carbonic acids; amins; carbon hydrates; amino acids; peptides, proteins; nucleic acids). Chemical thermodynamics (variables; reaction quantities; thermodnamic potentials; models and real thermodynamical systems; chemical potential; phase equilibria; reaction equilibria). Acids and bases (definitions; quantization of acidity and basicity; calculation and measurement of pH and equlibrium composition). Spectroscopy (electronic spectroscopy; infrared spectroscopy; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; mass spectrometry). Kinetics (simple kinetics; rate of reaction; complex kinetic systems; temperature dependence of reaction rate constants; diffusion-controlled reactions in solution; experimental methods in kinetics).

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