Elements of Physical Chemistry

Getting to grips with physical chemistry can be a daunting task. With new concepts to understand and a large amount of mathematics to master, it is no wonder that students can sometimes find it overwhelming.

Elements of Physical Chemistry has been carefully developed to help the reader increase their confidence when using physics and mathematics to answer fundamental questions about the structure of molecules, how chemical reactions take place, and why materials behave the way they do.

The content is tightly focussed and well-matched to undergraduate courses, making it easy to find the information needed. Topics are covered in a clear, easy-to-follow style, using everyday examples to help students to visualise things that can otherwise seem very abstract.

This edition sees further development of the learning features. These include Chemist's toolkits, which provide a reminder of mathematical techniques or introductory chemistry needed to follow material in the chapters; Worked examples, providing a step-by-step route through a problem; Brief illustrations which explain how to use equations; and Self-tests, allowing students to check their understanding.

On the accompanying Online Resource Centre, students have access to multiple choice questions and Webcasts; short videos showing, step-by-step, how to solve an exercise. For lecturers, there is a test bank and the figures from the text are available to download.

Peter Atkins is a fellow of Lincoln College in the University of Oxford and the author of about seventy books for students and a general audience. His texts are market leaders around the globe. A frequent lecturer in the United States and throughout the world, he has held visiting professorships in France, Israel, Japan, China, and New Zealand. He was the founding chairman of the Committee on Chemistry Education of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and was a member of IUPAC's Physical and Biophysical Chemistry Division.


Julio de Paula is Professor of Chemistry at Lewis & Clark College. A native of Brazil, Professor de Paula received a B.A. degree in chemistry from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and a Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from Yale University. His research activities encompass the areas of molecular spectroscopy, biophysical chemistry, and nanoscience. He has taught courses in general chemistry, physical chemistry, biophysical chemistry, instrumental analysis, and writing.