Physical Chemistry books (Thermodynamics/Statistical Thermodynamics/Kinetics/QM)

In summary, the conversation discusses the speaker's interest in physical chemistry and their experience with undergraduate courses in the field. They mention textbooks they have used and their thoughts on them, as well as their desire to find a new book to replace a previously used one. The speaker also discusses their current work and future goals, and recommends studying mathematics and foundational quantum mechanics to become a well-rounded theoretical chemist. They also mention various topics and specialties within the field that can be explored with a strong foundation in key concepts.
  • #1
DDTea
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I've been trying to learn more about physical chemistry, especially since only after graduating did I realize how neat of a field it is. In my undergraduate program, we had a course in classical thermodynamics (we never reached statistical mechanics or kinetics), then there was a quantum chemistry course (which, while challenging and interesting, was still kind of narrow in its scope). Also, I had two semesters of non-calculus intensive physics (calculus was used, but as a whole, the course was a watered-down version) and two semesters of calculus (all that my degree required).

The physical chemistry textbooks I used in school were:
-Thermodynamics, Statistical Thermodynamics, and Kinetics, Engel & Reid
-Introduction to Quantum Mechanics in Chemistry, Materials Science, and Biology, S.M. Blinder
-Experiments in Physical Chemistry, Garland, Nibler, & Shoemaker

I was most impressed with Garland et. al. Unfortunately, it is not a general textbook and I used it only in my physical chemistry lab. S.M. Blinder was good and accessible and I learned a lot from it, but it seemed to compromise on depth. The semester that I took Quantum Chem, the department had just switched to Blinder from Donald McQuarrie's book.
I was not impressed with Engel & Reid, and would like another book to replace it in my library.

Anyhow, there are tons of books on Amazon.com about thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics, and quantum mechanics. For classical thermo, I'm looking for something more as a reference. For statistical thermodynamics, I need an introductory book. For Quantum Mechanics, I'd prefer an introductory book that has more of a chemistry focus than a physics focus (I'm leaning toward McQuarrie, but want to hear some recommendations first).

[EDIT] I realized that I should give more background as to myself. Currently, I'm working for a professor at a different university who does theoretical chemistry. Also, I'm taking more math courses (Multivariable Calc. and Linear Algebra at least), so hopefully that won't hold me back in the future. I'd *really* like a book that has a good explanation of group theory applications to QM. Right now, I have Group Theory and Chemistry by David Bishop, which is excellent.
 
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  • #2
Well, let's see.. Atkins "Physical Chemistry" is very popular (also in an abriged "Elements of.." version that I don't recommend if you intend to specialize in this). I actually never liked Atkins much; found it rather unengaging. That said, it has a lot in it, and covers the whole field pretty well.

I've heard good things about McQuarrie's book, although I haven't seen it. I do have his "Molecular Thermodynamics", which I liked a lot.

With QM I find it a bit hard to recommend a 'chemistry-oriented' textbook, even though there are many of them. These books usually stress the concepts and leave out much of the rigorous math and formalism. Which is fine if you want to understand the concepts of QC and perhaps do some calculations, but not if you intend to specialize. Two good books in this respect (within quantum chem) are Piela's "Ideas of QC" and Koch's "A Chemist's Guide to DFT" (although the latter of course only treats DFT methods). These are pure QC books which don't treat chemically-relevant quantum mechanics subjects like spectroscopy, but there are also similar books within spectroscopy (which often have similar deficiencies towards QC).

If you intend to be a well-rounded theoretical chemist/physical chemist/chemical physicist/quantum chemist (it all overlaps), you really need a solid understanding of QM in general, and the chemistry-oriented textbooks just don't really cut it. I'd suggest some introductory QM textbook like Griffiths (which is popular and not too steep a curve), after which you'll be ready to graduate to the heavy ones. (e.g. Messiah, Landau-Lifgarbagez or Cohen-Tannoudji, which btw, do utilize group-theory methods) Those will cover pretty much all the fundamental QM you'll ever need to know. (Since QED/QFT and relativistic theory aren't generally important to phys-chem/chem-phys. You can probably skip any chapters on scattering theory too, without much harm.) Everything else is just specialization.

With math, you can never know too much, really. I'd say linear algebra and multivariate calculus is a minimum. I'd also suggest any courses available on diff. equations/transforms (and later, PDEs). Complex analysis is a good idea too, both for understanding QM, but also for getting a deeper understanding of math in general. Vector calculus is worth a mention, but perhaps less important.

Anyway, if you study the above (and the 'heavy' textbooks can likely wait until you're a grad student), then you've essentially got your choice of QC, Chemical Physics, Physical Chemistry, Atom-Mol phys.. calculations, spectroscopy, NMR, etc. Solid fundamentals opens a lot of doors.
 

1. What is Physical Chemistry?

Physical Chemistry is a branch of chemistry that deals with the study of the physical properties and behavior of matter at a molecular and atomic level. It combines principles and methods from physics, mathematics, and chemistry to understand and explain the physical phenomena of chemical systems.

2. What are the main topics covered in Physical Chemistry books?

The main topics covered in Physical Chemistry books include thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics, kinetics, and quantum mechanics. These topics explore the fundamental principles that govern the behavior of matter at a molecular level and their applications in various fields of chemistry.

3. What is the difference between Thermodynamics and Statistical Thermodynamics?

Thermodynamics is a macroscopic approach that studies the behavior of matter in bulk, while Statistical Thermodynamics is a microscopic approach that examines the behavior of individual particles and their interactions. Thermodynamics focuses on the overall properties of a system, while Statistical Thermodynamics looks at the behavior of individual particles and their statistical distribution.

4. How is Quantum Mechanics related to Physical Chemistry?

Quantum Mechanics is the study of the behavior of particles at a subatomic level. It provides the theoretical framework for understanding the behavior of atoms and molecules, which are the building blocks of matter. In Physical Chemistry, Quantum Mechanics is used to explain and predict the behavior and properties of chemical systems.

5. Are there any real-life applications of the concepts covered in Physical Chemistry books?

Yes, there are many real-life applications of the concepts covered in Physical Chemistry books. For example, thermodynamics is used to understand the efficiency of engines and power plants, statistical thermodynamics is used to study the behavior of gases and liquids, kinetics is used to understand the rates of chemical reactions, and quantum mechanics is used in fields such as materials science and nanotechnology.

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