Chemical Thermodynamics
Syllabus
General Information:
Lecture Instructor: Maria Alexandra Gomez
Chemistry Laboratory Instructors: Himali Jayathilake and Maria Gomez
Class Hours: MWF 8:35-9:50 AM
Laboratory Location: Carr LL05
Gomez Office Hours: M 1-2PM, W 10-11AM, F 11AM-12PM or by appointment
Gomez Office Location: G22C Carr Laboratory
Gomez Email: magomez@mtholyoke.edu
Jayathilake Office Hours, Location, and Email: See Laboratory syllabus for details.
Text: Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach by McQuarrie and Simon
Web Page: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/magomez/ChemicalThermodynamics
Homework Help Sessions in Kendade 203:
- Sunday 7-9PM Regina Ciszewski and Lanhe Zhang
- Wednesday 7-9PM Marie Ozanne and Regina Ciszweski
- Friday 6-9PM Lanhe Zhang and Mimi Hang
Technology Help Sessions: Xiaolin Hu will be our technology mentor. She will hold help times at Su 4-6PM and Th 7-9PM in the molecular modeling lab.
SAW Mentor: Emily Bouvier is our SAW mentor. See your lab syllabus for details on workshops and meetings.
Grading Policy:
- 2 Exams 30%
- Homework 20%
- Discussion 10%
- Comprehensive Final 20%
- Laboratory 20%
Homework is due on dates followed by an "H" at the start of class. The homework assignments are posted on the class web pages. No work is accepted after the due date. Topics with a "D" after the date are covered in a discussion format. After the discussion, you can ask questions on any homework problem. Teams will be assigned as discussion leaders for each discussion. There are two take home exams which will be handed out on days marked Exam and collected on days marked with Exam Due. The class also includes a comprehensive final and a laboratory. See laboratory syllabus on ella for details on the laboratory. It is chemistry department policy that all laboratory experiments need to be completed and all reports are handed in to pass this course.
Schedule:
| Topic | Date | Readings |
| I. Introduction | Nature of chemical thermodynamics problems | 9/7 | Web and Math Chapter B |
|
| II. Models | Simplest model - Ideal gas | 9/9 | web, 16.1, 27.1-27.3 |
| Effect of molecular interactions | 9/12 | web,16.2, 16.5, 16.7 |
| Non-ideal interactions: Presentations | 9/14D | HW 1 |
|
| III. From atomistic models to macroscopic properties - Statistical Mechanics | The Boltzmann distribution and
average energy, heat capacity, and pressure. | 9/16H | web,17.1-17.5, Math Chapter H |
| Partition Functions of Individual Molecule. Example: Monoatomic ideal gas. | 9/19 | web,17.6-17.8,18.1-18.2 |
| From partition functions to properties: Presentations | 9/21D | HW 2 |
|
| Diatomic ideal gas and typical states at room temperature | 9/23H, 9/26 | web, 18.3-18.6, 18.8-18.9 |
|
| Diatomics and typical states: Presentations | 9/28D | HW 3 |
| Review | 9/30H, Exam |
| IV. Macroscopic - Thermodynamics | | | |
| Work, Heat, and the First Law | 10/3 | web, 19.1-19.5 |
| Molecular View of Work and Heat | 10/5 | web,19.6 |
| Enthalpy and Heat Capacity | 10/7 | web, 19.7-19.12 |
| Enthalpy and Heat Capacity: Presentations | 10/12D | HW 4 |
| Thermodynamic Meaning of Entropy | 10/14H | web, 20.1-20.4 |
| Statistical Meaning of Entropy | 10/17 Exam Due,10/19 | web, 20.5,20.8-20.9 |
| Obtaining Entropy from Molecular Structure and problems 39, 43 | 10/21D | web, 21.6-21.9, HW 5 |
| Third Law | 10/24H | web,21.1-21.5 |
|
| Concentrating on the system: Helmholtz and Gibbs | 10/26 | web, 22.1-22.2 |
| Entropy Changes: Presentations | 10/28D | HW 6 |
| Maxwell Relations and the Structure of Thermodynamics | 10/31H | web, 22.3-22.5 |
| Review | 11/2 | |
| V. Thermodynamics Applications | |
| Phase Equilibria and the phase rule | 11/4 | web, 23.1-23.3 |
| Statistical Relationship of Chemical Potential | 11/7 | web, 23.5 |
| Significance of the chemical potential: Presentations | 11/9D | HW 7 |
| Chemical equilibrium and direction of chemical reactions | 11/11H | web, 26.1-26.6 |
| The Equilibrium Constant and Partition Functions | 11/14 | web, 26.8-26.9 |
| Equilibria: Presentations | 11/16D | HW 8 |
| Real Equilibria | 11/18H | Paper |
| Case Study (meet in molecular modeling lab) | 11/21 | |
| Review | 11/28, Exam |
|
| VI. Rates of Reactions | |
| Empirical Kinetics | 11/30D | web,28.1-28.4 |
| Empirical Kinetics Cont. | 12/2 | web, 28.5-28.6 |
| Transition State Theory | 12/5 Exam Due | web,28.7-28.8 |
| Molecular beam and collision theory | 12/7 | web, 27.4-27.7 |
| Presentations | 12/9D | HW 9 |
| Review for Final | 12/12H | |
|
