Physical Chemistry for Engineers

Physical Chemistry for Engineers: A Guided Tour provides students with a comprehensive exploration of the entire field of physical chemistry, with particular emphasis on molecular behavior. The book helps students develop a clear understanding of the modern, molecular view of the physical world, along with an appreciation of the use of molecular models in describing physical systems.

Section I of the text provides students with an introduction to physical chemistry and the Ideal Gas Law, then establishes the foundation of statistical mechanics, including probability and the Boltzmann distribution, all leading to kinetic molecular theory. Section II covers chemical kinetics, including chapters dedicated to collision theory, rate laws, reaction mechanisms, and surface reactions. Section III covers the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and spectroscopy. Section IV explores statistical mechanics to a greater degree, and shows students how to apply knowledge of microscopic behavior to predict bulk properties. Section V covers the fundamentals of chemical thermodynamics and introduces students to the Laws of Thermodynamics, Gibbs Energy, and more. The final section discusses transition state theory and the philosophy of physical chemistry.

Physical Chemistry for Engineers is particularly well suited for chemical engineering programs, but could also be used in other engineering disciplines and materials science. By presenting students with foundational information that prepares them for more advanced courses in their respective disciplines, the text is ideal for one- or two-semester undergraduate courses in physical chemistry.

James E. Patterson earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from Brigham Young University. He is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Brigham Young University. Dr. Patterson’s current research involves developing a molecular-level understanding of the response of materials to mechanical, chemical, and thermal stress. He has applied for multiple patents, and his work has been included in reputable journals such as Physical Review Letters, Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vibrational Spectroscopy, and Analytical Chemistry, to name a few.