The main aim of this module is to equip students with an understanding of basic kinetics and thermodynamics as they relate to chemical reactions.

(LO1) By the end of the module students should be familiar with, and be able to make appropriate use of the basic ideas of chemical thermodynamics

(LO2) By the end of the module students should be familiar with, and be able to make appropriate use of ideas relating to the rates of chemical reactions

(LO3) By the end of the module students should have developed basic laboratory skills and be able to write simple experimental reports which include data and error analysis.

(S1) By the end of the module students will have developed their problem solving skills

(S2) By the end of the module students will have developed their organisational skills

The module will consist of 13 lectures on thermodynamics, 13 lectures on kinetics, 5 workshops (2 hr sessions augmented with online quizzes), and the laboratory work (and write-ups). There will be a 1-hour class test part way through the course. The lectures, will be augmented with shorter online recordings.

All material is covered in Elements of Physical Chemistry (P.W. Atkins and J. de Paula). Students will be expected to be able to use various equations from a formula sheet [integrated rate laws, temperature dependence of rate constants and equilibrium constants, and so on] without having been exposed to full derivations.

In the laboratory sessions, a number of the thermodynamics and kinetics concepts will be illustrated by experiments carried out under close demonstrator supervision. PC sessions will be used to provide support with the analysis of the experimental results. Some experiments will be conducted in pairs, so as to further interaction skills. The students will write (individually) a report on their experimental work, which will be assessed. Some marking may be done in the student's presence to allow for immediate feedback.

Students will have the opportunity in the workshops (and in online quizzes) to work through problems that relate to the principles covered in the lectures, with tutors available to help in the workshops. Marks are awarded for engagement (and with online quizzes). Outline answers and additional general feedback will subsequently be available in Canvas.

*Lectures: 26 hr
*Practical: 21 hr
*Coursework: 10 hr

Lecture Material

Thermodynamics [mostly energy changes in chemical reactions] (Dr Johnson)

• Ideal gas equation, including definitions/units of pressure, temperature, mole and standard conditions and use of pV=nRT and deviations from the ideal gas equation.
• The First Law of Thermodynamics: Types of thermodynamics functions. Internal energy and enthalpy; heat & work; Measurement of energy and enthalpy using calorimeters.
• Variation of enthalpy and energy with temperature.
• Enthalpies of reaction.
• The Second Law of Thermodynamics. Equilibrium as a minimum in Gibbs Free Energy.
• Entropy and variation of entropy with temperature.
• Entropies and Gibbs Free Energies of Reaction
• Concept of equilibrium being minimum in the Gibbs free energy. Idea of extent of reaction. Reaction Quotient and Equilibrium constant.
• Relationship be tween Equilibrium Constant and Gibbs free energy.
• Equilibria in Solutions: solubility products, acid-base reactions, electrochemical reactions.
• Variation of equilibrium constant with temperature.
• Nernst equation;
• Physical Equilibrium- Clausius-Clapeyron Equation.

Kinetics (Dr Cooper)

• idea of rates of chemical reactions and of factors that determine them;
• orders of reactions; 0th order, 1st order and (simple) 2nd order reactions, including how data are manipulated;
• initial rates;
• half-life, using traditional 1st order examples;
• activation energy barriers and temperature dependence, including Arrhenius equation & variation of lnk with 1/T (done graphically);
• kinetic isotope effects;
• elementary step, rate-determining step & reaction mechanism;
• chain reactions and photochemical reactions
• catalysis, including industrial examples; Lineweaver-Burk plots & Michaelis-Menten model (enzymes).

Workshop Material
• The lecture course will be supported by workshop sessions designed to give students an opportunity to practise solving kinetics and thermodynamics problems

Laboratory Material
• In the laboratory sessions, students will carry out a mixture of kinetics and thermodynamics experiments. These experiments have been designed to allow students to finish the experimental work in one three-hour session. Much of the analysis (as well as the formal report) will then have to be completed in their own time; they will be encouraged to make appropriate use of the demonstrators to deal with any questions/problems that arise. There are compulsory pre-lab activities associated with each practical session.