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Molecular Thermodynamics

Donald A. McQuarrie University of California, Davis
John D. Simon Duke University

Evolved from McQuarrie and Simon's best-selling textbook, Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach, this text focuses in on the thermodynamics portion of the course. Although many of the chapters in Molecular Thermodynamics are similar to chapters in the larger physical chemistry text, new material has been added throughout along with three entirely new chapters on "The Energy Levels of Atoms and Molecules," "Thermodynamics of Electrochemical Cells," and "Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics."

Print Book, ISBN 978-1-891389-05-4, US $124
eBook, eISBN 978-1-938787-30-0, US $90
Copyright 1999
672 pages, Casebound

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Summary

Evolved from McQuarrie and Simon’s best-selling textbook, Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach, this text focuses in on the thermodynamics portion of the course. Although many of the chapters in Molecular Thermodynamics are similar to chapters in the larger physical chemistry text, new material has been added throughout along with three entirely new chapters on “The Energy Levels of Atoms and Molecules,” “Thermodynamics of Electrochemical Cells,” and “Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics.” The text also includes five short “MathChapters,” each with a special set of problems that will help students review and summarize the mathematical tools required to master the material. Worked examples and chapter-ending problems with solutions are also included throughout the book.


Resources

List of Adoptions

Table of Contents

Preface

1. The Energy Levels of Atoms and Molecules

MathChapter A: Numerical Methods

2. The Properties of Gases

MathChapter B: Probability and Statistics

3. The Boltzmann Factor and Partition Functions

MathChapter C: Series and Limits

4. Partition Functions and Ideal Gases

MathChapter D: Partial Differentiation

5. The First Law of Thermodynamics

MathChapter E: The Binomial Distribution and Stirling’s Approximation

6. Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

7. Entropy and the Third Law of Thermodynamics

8. Helmholtz and Gibbs Energies

9. Phase Equilibria

10. Solutions I: Liquid-Liquid Solutions

11. Solutions II: Solid-Liquid Solutions

12. Chemical Equilibrium

13. Thermodynamics of Electrochemical Cells

14. Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics

Answers to Numerical Problems

Illustration Credits

Index

Reviews

“The writing is exceptionally clear, and explanations are lucid and sound.”
-The Chemical Educator

“This book represents a sort of down-sized version of the Magnum Opus by the same authors: Physical Chemistry, A Molecular Approach. For those readers who are already familiar with this book and like it, I can say that: this one gives you basically the same goodies but in a more digestible form…McQuarrie is emerging as one of the the best writers on undergrad thermodynamics and statistical mechanics around…”
-Journal of Statistical Physics

“An extremely large number of worked examples and end-of-chapter problems supplement this excellent book.”
-Science & Technology

Donald A. McQuarrie University of California, Davis

As the author of landmark chemistry books and textbooks, Donald McQuarrie's name is synonymous with excellence in chemical education.  From his classic text on Statistical Mechanics to his recent quantum-first tour de force on Physical Chemistry, McQuarrie's best selling textbooks are highly acclaimed by the chemistry community.  McQuarrie received his PhD from the University of Oregon, and is Professor Emeritus from the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Davis.  

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John D. Simon Duke University

John D. Simon became the first George B. Geller Professor of Chemistry at Duke University in 1998. He is currently Chair Chemistry Department at Duke and a faculty member of the Biochemistry, and Ophthalmology Departments of the Duke Medical Center. John graduated from Williams College in 1979 with a B.A. in Chemistry and received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1983. After a postdoctoral fellowship with Professor Mostafa El-Sayed at UCLA, John joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry at UCSD in 1985.

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