Physical Chemistry I: States of Matter & Ionic Equilibrium

Kinetic molecular model of a gas: Postulates and derivation of the kinetic gas equation, collision frequency, collision diameter, mean free path and viscosity of gases, including their temperature and pressure dependence, relation between mean free path and coefficient of viscosity, calculation of σ from η, variation of viscosity with temperature and pressure.

Maxwell distribution and its use in evaluating molecular velocities (average, root mean square and most probable) and average kinetic energy, law of equipartition of energy, degrees of freedom and molecular basis of heat capacities.

Behaviour of real gases: Deviations from ideal gas behaviour, compressibility factor, Z, and its variation with pressure for different gases, causes of deviation from ideal behaviour, van der Waals equation of state, its derivation and application in explaining real gas behaviour, mention of other equations of state (Berthelot, Dieterici), virial equation of state, van der Waals equation expressed in virial form and calculation of Boyle temperature, isotherms of real gases and their comparison with van der Waals isotherms, continuity of states, critical state, relation between critical constants and van der Waals constants, law of corresponding state.

Qualitative treatment of the structure of the liquid state, radial distribution function, physical properties of liquids, vapour pressure, surface tension and coefficient of viscosity, and their determination, effect of addition of various solutes on surface tension and viscosity, explanation of cleansing action of detergents, temperature variation of viscosity of liquids and comparison with that of gases, qualitative discussion of structure of water.

Nature of the solid state, law of constancy of interfacial angles, law of rational indices, Miller indices, elementary ideas of symmetry, symmetry elements and symmetry operations, qualitative idea of point and space groups, seven crystal systems and fourteen Bravais lattices, X-ray diffraction, Bragg’s law, a simple account of rotating crystal method and powder pattern method, analysis of powder diffraction patterns of NaCl, CsCl and KCl, defects in crystals, glasses and liquid crystals.

Strong, moderate and weak electrolytes, degree of ionization, factors affecting degree of ionization, ionization constant and ionic product of water, ionization of weak acids and bases, ph scale, common ion effect; dissociation constants of mono-, di-and triprotic acids (exact treatment).

Salt hydrolysis: Calculation of hydrolysis constant, degree of hydrolysis and pH for different salts, buffer solutions, derivation of Henderson equation and its applications, buffer capacity, buffer range, buffer action and applications of buffers in analytical chemistry and biochemical processes in the human body.

Solubility and solubility product of sparingly soluble salts and itsapplications, qualitative treatment of acid – base titration curves (calculation of pH at various stages), theory of acid–base indicators, selection of indicators and their limitations, multistage equilibria in polyelectrolyte systems, hydrolysis and hydrolysis constants.