Book to purchase and not to Re-Sell - Expensive but worth the value
Written: Oct 11 '03 (Updated Jan 24 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: detailed and logical, helpful diagrams, works magic on understanding of complex subjects
Cons: too few worked-out examples, problems can get really long and complicated, weight
The Bottom Line: Believe it or not, but this book made reading physical chemistry an enjoyable experience. This was a good purchase.
|
|
|
| djork's Full Review: P. W. Atkins - Physical Chemistry |
Physical chemistry is not a very pleasant subject to study for many people, even those who have chosen chemistry as occupation, future or present. The reason is that it implies a lot of physics and calculus as well as abstract reasoning (and most of us are not very good at abstract reasoning). I've used this book for over half a year now and I can honestly state that it manages to explain even the most otherworldly subjects such that even beginners like me can grasp them. It is careful not to leave any holes in the understanding and contains many filling details that other books leave out (for example, the dimensions associated with Schrodinger's equation).
Through the text, one can find a scatter of sections labeled Justification, Illustration, and Example. I strongly suggest reading all of these sections, not just the text, because most often the essential information is embedded in them. By the end of each chapter we encounter a Checklist of Key Ideas, then follows Further Reading section. Each chapter also contains 50-70 problems at the very end to do on your own. The problems in the back are divided into Exercises (easier) and Problems (harder). Most odd and some even problems have answers in the very back of the book. The back of the book also contains "Further information" section that fills in any gaps the reader might have. It provides basic equations and operations that the reader should be aware of while reading the chapters (recommended to go over). The text makes references to it at times. Numerous graphs and diagrams proliferate in the text as well.
The language is easy to read. The color scheme is blue/gray/black. In quantum theory explanations, this book is better than most physics books I have owned. It is also of some help with inorganic chemistry subjects (i.e. chapter 15 is on symmetry). And it is a definite keep for the chemistry GRE exam. The price it sells for ($120) is typical for such a huge textbook. Last time I checked, paperback editions at bookcentral.com were the cheapest - $74.
Length: 1150 pages (almost 2 inches thick)
Subjects covered:
first 5 chapters - thermodynamics
6 - physical transformations of pure substances
7 - mixtures
8 - phase diagrams
9 - chemical equilibrium
10 - equilibrium stoichiometry
11 - quantum theory intro
12 - Q. theory applications
13. atomic structure and spectra
14 - molecular structure
15 - molecular symmetry (useful to inorganic chemistry also)
16 - spectroscopy 1: rotational and vibrational
17 - spectroscopy 2: electronic transitions
18 - spectroscopy 3: magnetic resonance
19 & 20 - statistical thermodynamics
21 - molecular interactions
22 - macromolecules
23 - the solid state
24 - molecules in motion
25 & 26 - kinetics
27 - reaction dynamics
28 - processes at solid surfaces
29 - dynamics of electron transfer
Further information 1
Further information 2
Appendices
Solutions manual comes highly recommended. It contains some exercises and some problems with details solutions.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
djork
|
|
Location: south CA, USA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
College student in sciences; traveled some; love coffee, cats, plants, trips, music, and the net
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.