physical

name: physical description: Physical chemistry fundamentals license: MIT compatibility: opencode metadata: audience: chemists, physicists, students category: chemistry

What I do

• Explain physical chemistry principles
• Describe thermodynamic concepts
• Discuss quantum mechanics basics
• Analyze molecular behavior
• Explain chemical kinetics
• Connect theory to observation

When to use me

• When learning physical chemistry basics
• When explaining thermodynamic principles
• When studying quantum chemistry
• When preparing educational content

Key Concepts

Thermodynamics

State Functions

• Internal energy (U)
• Enthalpy (H)
• Entropy (S)
• Gibbs free energy (G)

First Law: ΔU = q + w Second Law: ΔS_universe ≥ 0 Third Law: S → 0 as T → 0

Quantum Mechanics

# Schrödinger equation (time-independent)
# HΨ = EΨ

# Particle in a box (1D)
def particle_in_box_energy(n, m, L):
    """
    Calculate energy levels.
    n: quantum number (1, 2, 3, ...)
    m: particle mass
    L: box length
    """
    h = 6.626e-34  # Planck constant
    return (n**2 * h**2) / (8 * m * L**2)

# Heisenberg uncertainty
# Δx · Δp ≥ ℏ/2

Kinetics

• Rate = k[A]ⁿ[B]ᵐ
• Arrhenius: k = A·e^(-Ea/RT)
• Half-life equations
• Reaction coordinate diagrams
• Catalysts lower activation energy

States of Matter

• Solids: Fixed shape/volume, ordered
• Liquids: Fixed volume, variable shape
• Gases: Variable volume/shape, disordered
• Plasma: Ionized gas (high energy)
• Bose-Einstein condensate: Supercooled atoms