Among the many and significant topics in the field of Physical Chemistry, the most theoretical part of Chemistry, this book tackles several important and interesting subjects. These are mainly established topics, yet they are still at the forefront of physical chemistry studies. Each subject is presented independently as each comes from a corresponding self-contained book in the extensive Oxford Chemistry Primers series published by Oxford University Press.
The first of the five parts of the book provides a review of the basic principles of Physics, such as classical and quantum mechanics, wave theory, electromagnetism, kinetic theory of gases, and optics, which are required in many Chemistry problems of all materials. The second part examines the energy states of atoms and their spectroscopic transitions, focusing on hydrogen, alkali metals, and helium, while also describing all the significant phenomena observed in atoms.
The next part transitions from atoms to molecules, emphasizing diatomic ones, examining their rotational, vibrational, electronic, and photoelectron spectroscopies, as well as the main characteristics of the spectra. The last two parts of the book describe the methods for studying chemical reactions in the gaseous phase and on solid surfaces. The dynamics of reactions constitutes the theoretical and experimental approach of chemical kinetics at the level of discrete quantum states. In the section on surface studies, the characteristics of solids and the multifaceted methods of their analysis are described in detail.
All parts of the book are written by experts in their respective fields. They include numerous diagrams and illustrative figures for a more complete description of the content. Within the text, there are scattered solved problems that assist in understanding the theory, along with a variety of unsolved exercises for the reader's practice. Each part of the book is complemented with bibliographies for further exploration of the theory or references to original scientific publications.
