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Physical chemistry is a combined science of physics, chemistry, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and quantum mechanics. It functions to provide molecular-level interpretations of observed macroscopic phenomena. Typically, changes in temperature, pressure, volume, heat, and work of systems in the solid, liquid, and or gas phase are correlated to microscopic atomic and molecular interactions. The relationships that physical chemistry tries to resolve include the effects of: Modern physical chemistry is firmly grounded upon physics. Important areas of study include thermochemistry (chemical thermodynamics), chemical kinetics, quantum chemistry, statistical mechanics, electrochemistry, surface and solid state chemistry, and spectroscopy. Physical chemistry is also fundamental to modern materials science. Physical chemistry now strongly overlaps with chemical physics.
Importance of Physical Chemistry During the late 19th century, physical chemistry played an important role in Wilhelm Ostwald's and Jacobus Henricus van't Hoff's work on chemical equilibrium. It also played an important role in Svante Arrhenius theory of ionization. After 1900 chemists began to get valuable help from physics about the electrical nature of the atom. This knowledge led to improvements in X-rays and the assignment of atomic numbers to the elements. Important physical chemists Willard Gibbs is considered the founder of physical chemistry because of his 1876 paper On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances, wherein he developed such cornerstones as free energy, chemical potential, and phase rule. Fictional physical chemist See also Literature | ||||||||
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