This course aims to describe, mostly at the macroscopic but with some focus at atomic-molecular level, the structure, properties and transformations of matter. Indeed, physical chemistry aims at the construction of models of interpretation, and prediction of experimental parameters looking for a quantitative description of complex systems of chemical, physical, biological and environmental interest.Â
The student will learn about the principles of equilibrium thermodynamics (first, second and third laws), handling the mechanisms and devices of a thermodynamic description of gaseous chemical systems, pure substances, ideal mixtures and real solutions. The first and second laws will be applied to chemical systems of biotechnological interest. A special attention will be paid to the prediction of spontaneity/equilibrium of natural processes  and to the prediction of the reaction rate, starting from activation parameters. Extension to multi-stage kinetics with reference to enzymatic kinetics is also included. Finally, the student will be briefly introduced to the basic concepts behind molecular spectroscopy: the microscopic energy states, the spectroscopic absorption and emission techniques.
During the sessions in blended mode, numerical exercises will apply the quantitative predictive tools of chemico-physical properties introduced throughout the online course.
