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

Overview. The module will consist of 26 in-person lectures (13 on thermodynamics and 13 on kinetics), 5 workshops, and the laboratory work and supporting workshops and associated write-ups.
There will be a 1 hr class test part way through the course.

Lectures. 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.

Practical. 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, to further interaction skills.
The students will write (individually) a report on their experime ntal work, which will be assessed.

Workshops. Students will have the opportunity in the workshops to work through problems that relate to the principles covered in the lectures with the support of tutors. Learning is supported in Canvas by on-line quizzes to be taken following completion of the workshops.

*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, buffer solutions, electrochemical reactions (including Nernst Equation).
• Variation of equilibrium constant with temperature.

Kinetics (Dr Volk)

• concept of chemical reactions rates;
• reaction orders; 0th order, 1st order and (simple) 2nd order reactions,pseudo first-order reactions;
• initial rates method;
• kinetic measurements ;
• temperature dependence of chemical reaction rates; Arrhenius equation, activation energy and their determination from experimental data;
• elementary step reaction mechanism of more complex reactions, rate-determining step;
• catalysis, including examples for heterogeneous catalysis (Haber process, catalytic converter) and homogeneous catalysis (enzymes - Michaelis-Menten mechanism).

Wo rkshop 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.