• Evolves with every edition to meet the needs of a changing market.
• The authors' lucid exposition of the subject within a carefully crafted pedagogical framework, informed by interactions with academics worldwide, ensures that the book both promotes excellence in learning, and offers an authoritative, topical account of physical chemistry.
• Enhanced explanation and presentation of mathematical content place emphasis on full understanding of important mathematical principles, without sacrificing depth or rigour of treatment.
• An extensive pedagogical framework, which includes Worked Examples, Self-tests, Derivations, Illustrations, Justifications, Notes on good practice, and Commentaries, guides students through the book to facilitate a true understanding of the subject.
• 'Impacts on' sections show how physical chemistry underpins biology, biochemistry, medicine, nanoscience, and astrophysics, demonstrating to the student its fundamental importance at the forefront of current interdisciplinary research fields.
• Online Resource Centre features materials for both lecturers and students, to augment the book, and enhance its value as a teaching and learning resource

New to this edition

• Atkins' Physical Chemistry remains up to date, not just in its content, but in its approach; this eighth edition sees a greater emphasis on the molecular view of physical chemistry and a move away from classical thermodynamics.
• The authors have endeavoured to cover all that is essential for a chemistry degree in a more compact presentation by re-organisation and careful exposition.
• New Content: 'Impact on' sections highlight the modern applications of physical chemistry to biology, biochemistry, medicine, nanoscience and astrophysics showing students the fundamental importance of the subject.
• New pedagogy: * 'Notes on good practice' provide guidance on the use of terminology and help students to avoid common pitfalls. * Margin 'commentaries' remind students of the mathematical and physical concepts which are fundamental to the subject, and provide useful cross-references to related resources in the book and on the accompanying companion web site. * 'Exploration' questions, which require the use of living graphs on the companion web site, encourage students to actively explore and test their understanding of the subject. * Checklists of key ideas have been rationalised so that they provide a concise and clear summary of the chapter, allowing students to quickly comprehend the most important concepts.
• New design: * All the diagrams have been redrawn in an updated style and appear within a modern full colour text design to engage and stimulate students.

Readership: Undergraduates at all stages of their Bachelors and Masters chemistry degree programmes. Also a valuable reference for postgraduates and researchers.

Peter Atkins, Professor of Chemistry, University of Oxford and Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and Julio de Paula, Professor and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon, USA

""Atkins" is the gold standard of technical education in Physical Chemistry. " - Stephen Fletcher, Loughborough.

Part 1. Equilibrium
1: The properties of gases
2: The first law
3: The second law
4: Physical transformations of pure substances
5: Simple mixtures
6: Phase diagrams
7: Chemical equilibrium
Part 2. Structure
8: Quantum theory: introduction and principles
9: Quantum theory: techniques and applications
10: Atomic structure and atomic spectra
11: Molecular orbitals for polyatomic systems
12: Molecular symmetry
13: Spectroscopy 1: rotational and vibrational spectra
14: Spectroscopy 2: electronic transitions
15: Spectroscopy 3: magnetic resonance
16: Statistical thermodynamics: the concepts
17: Statistical thermodynamics: the machinery
18: Molecular interactions
19: Materials 1: Macromolecules and aggregates
20: Materials 2: The solid state
Part 3. Change
21: Molecules in motion
22: The rates of chemical reactions
23: The kinetics of complex reactions
24: Molecular reaction dynamics
25: Processes at solid surfaces
Data section
Answers to exercises
Answers to problems
Index