Thermodynamics Premaster Course

Course manual 2019/2020

Course content

The goal of this course is to give students with a non-academic background a solid basis in thermodynamics and kinetics.

Topics discussed are:

• the behavior of perfect and real gases, on a macroscopic and a microscopic level
• thermodynamic state functions such as energy, enthalpy and entropy, and energy exchange as heat or work
• the relation between free energy and equilibrium
• electrochemistry and redox reactions
• reaction kinetics. 

Study materials

Literature

• Atkins & De Paula, Elements of Physical Chemistry, Oxford University Press

Other

• Handouts and exercises (digital)

Objectives

At the end of the course the student is able to:

• explain the significance of various state functions, and their relation with observable processes
• calculate the heat and work involved in physical and chemical processes from thermodynamic data
• describe the relation between macroscopic thermodynamic phenomena and microscopic molecular models, and use these relations in calculations
• predict the direction of chemical reactions and their equilibrium state
• use electrochemical data to calculate redox equilibria and vice versa
• find reaction orders and rate constants from experimental data, and use these to predict the course of reactions
• describe the relation between thermodynamic parameters and reaction rates, and use these in calculations 

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar

Learning activities

Assessment

for the exam, the cut-off score is 55%

Assignments

Exercises to practice the subject discussed during the lesson

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. A. Gargano