overlap between physical chemistry and chemical engineering?H

vincent_vega

How much overlap is there between physical chemistry and chemical engineering with regards to thermodynamics, kinetics, and transport phenomena? Would it be beneficial for a chemical engineering student to take the physical chemistry courses that deal with these topics? Or would it be redundant?

At my school we have the option of either taking first semester pchem or first semester quantum mechanics.

pa5tabear

In my ChemE program we are required to take two terms of physical chemistry (quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics(?)) and we have the option of taking the thermodynamics p chem course as well. Note that we are also required to take a dedicated engineering thermodynamics course series as well.

For most chemical engineering work, the extra background might be good for helping understanding, but you will not be doing the detailed analysis/calculation that you do in a classroom setting. That being said, quantum mechanics is probably even less applicable to a work environment.