Peter Atkins

All natural change is subject to one law. It's the second law of thermodynamics. In this volume, the acclaimed chemist and science writer P. W. Atkins shows how this single, simple principle of energy transformation accounts for all natural change. Moving from the steam engine to the nuclear age, the narrative is full of vivid examples, ideas, and images--but virtually no mathematics.

The laws of thermodynamics drive everything that happens in the universe. From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas to the cooling of hot metal--everything is moved or restrained by four simple laws. Written by Peter Atkins, one of the world's leading authorities on thermodynamics, this powerful and compact introduction explains what these four laws are and how they work, using accessible language and virtually no mathematics. Guiding the reader a step at a time, Atkins begins with Zeroth (so named because the first two laws were well established before scientists realized that a third law, relating to temperature, should precede them--hence the jocular name zeroth), and proceeds through the First, Second, and Third Laws, offering a clear account of concepts such as the availability of work and the conservation of energy. Atkins ranges from the fascinating theory of entropy (revealing how its unstoppable rise constitutes the engine of the universe), through the concept of free energy, and to the brink, and then beyond the brink, of absolute zero. About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

With its modern emphasis on the molecular view of physical chemistry, its wealth of contemporary applications (in the new "Impact on" features), vivid full-color presentation, and dynamic new media tools, the thoroughly revised new edition is again the most modern, most effective full-length textbook available for the physical chemistry classroom.NOW AVAILABLE IN SPLIT VOLUMESFor maximum flexibility in your physical chemistry course, this text isnow offered as a traditional or in two volumes.• Volume 1: Thermodynamics and Kinetics (ISBN 0-7167-8567-6)• Volume 2: Quantum Chemistry, Spectroscopy, and StatisticalThermodynamics (ISBN 0-7167-8569-2)See Table of Contents for the contents of each volume.

Come on a journey into the heart of matter -- and enjoy the process! -- as a brilliant scientist and entertaining tour guide takes you on a fascinating voyage through the Periodic Kingdom, the world of the elements. The periodic table, your map for this trip, is the most important concept in chemistry. It hangs in classrooms and labs throughout the world, providing support for students, suggesting new avenues of research for professionals, succinctly organizing the whole of chemistry. The one hundred or so elements listed in the table make up everything in the universe, from microscopic organisms to distant planets. Just how does the periodic table help us make sense of the world around us? Using vivid imagery, ingenious analogies, and liberal doses of humor P. W. Atkins answers this question. He shows us that the Periodic Kingdom is a systematic place. Detailing the geography, history and governing institutions of this imaginary landscape, he demonstrates how physical similarities can point to deeper affinities, and how the location of an element can be used to predict its properties. Here's an opportunity to discover a rich kingdom of the imagination kingdom of which our own world is a manifestation.

The laws of thermodynamics drive everything that happens in the universe. From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas to the cooling of hot metal, and from the unfurling of a leaf to the course of life itself--everything is moved or restrained by four simple laws. They establish fundamental concepts such as temperature and heat, and reveal the arrow of time and even the nature of energy itself. Written by Peter Atkins, one of the worlds leading authorities on thermodynamics, this powerful and compact introduction explains what these four laws are and how they work, using accessible language and virtually no mathematics. Guiding the reader a step at a time, Atkins begins with Zeroth (so named because the first two laws were well established before scientists realized that a third law, relating to temperature, should precede them--hence the jocular name zeroth), and proceeds through the First, Second, and Third Laws, offering a clear account of concepts such as the availability of work and the conservation of energy. Atkins ranges from the fascinating theory of entropy (revealing how its unstoppable rise constitutes the engine of the universe), through the concept of free energy, and to the brink, and then beyond the brink, of absolute zero. C.P. Snow once remarked that not knowing the second law of thermodynamics is like never having read a work by Shakespeare. This brief but brilliant book introduces general readers to one of the cornerstones of modern science, four laws that are as integral to the well-educated mind as such great dramatic works as Hamlet or Macbeth.

In this Very Short Introduction Peter Atkins inspires us to look at chemistry through new eyes. Considering the remarkable achievements chemistry has made, he presents a fascinating, clear, and rigorous exploration of the world of chemistry - its structure, core concepts, and contributions to the material comfort and culture of the modern world.

Why Galileo's finger? Galileo, one of whose fingers is preserved in a vessel displayed in Florence, provided much of the impetus for modern science, pointing the way out of medieval ignorance. In this brilliant account of the central ideas of contemporary science, Peter Atkins celebrates the effectiveness of Galileo's symbolic finger for revealing the nature of our universe, our world, and ourselves. Galileo's Finger takes the reader on an extraordinary journey that embraces the ten central ideas of current science. "By a great idea," writes Peter Atkins, "I mean a simple concept of great reach, an acorn of an idea that ramifies into a great oak tree of application, a spider of an idea that can spin a great web and draw in a feast of explanation and elucidation." With wit, charm, and patience, Atkins leads the reader to an understanding of the essence of the whole of science, from evolution and the emergence of complexity, to entropy, the spring of all change in the universe; from energy, the universalization of accountancy, to symmetry, the quantification of beauty; and from cosmology, the globalization of reality, to spacetime, the arena of all action. "My intention is for us to travel to the high ridges of science," Atkins tells us. "As the journey progresses and I lead you carefully to the summit of understanding, you will experience the deep joy of illumination that science alone provides." Galileo's Finger breaks new ground in communicating science to the general reader. Here are the essential ideas of today's science, explained in magical prose.

Peter Atkins is the shining exception to the rule that scientists make poor writers. A Fellow at Oxford and a leading chemist, he has won admiration for his precise, lucid, and yet rigorous explanations of science. Now he turns his forensic mind to the greatest--and most controversial--questions of human birth, death, the origin of reality, and its end.In On Being , Atkins makes a provocative contribution to the great debate between religion and science. Atkins makes his position clear from the very first "The scientific method can shed light on every and any concept, even those that have troubled humans since the earliest stirrings of consciousness," he writes. He takes a materialist approach to the great questions of being that have inspired myth and religion, seeking to "dispel their mystery without diminishing their grandeur." In placing scientific knowledge in such cosmic perspective, he takes us on an often dizzying tour of existence. For example, he argues that "the substrate of existence is nothing at all." The total electrical charge of the universe, among other things, must be nothing--zero--he writes, or else the universe would have blasted itself apart. "Charge was not created at the electrical Nothing separated into equal and opposite charges." He explores breathtaking questions--asking the purpose ofthe universe--with wit and learning, touching on Sanskrit scriptures and John Updike along the way.

The bestselling textbook inorganic chemistry text on the market covers both theoretical and descriptive aspects of the subject, and emphasizes experimental methods, industrial applications, and modern topics.

Written for calculus based general chemistry courses, particularly honours level or accelerated courses, Chemical Principles helps students develop chemical insight by showing the connections between fundamental chemical ideas and their applications. Unlike other texts, it begins with a detailed picture of the atom then builds toward chemistry's frontier, continually demonstrating how to solve problems, think about nature and matter, and visualize chemical concepts in the same ways as working chemists. The new edition incorporates features that extend the book's emphasis on modern techniques and applications while strengthening its problem solving approach. Atkins/Jones is the only book for this course featuring integrated book specific media that provides students with effective study help via a variety of electronic tools. The website at has been developed simultaneously with the text and offers a range of tools for problem solving and chemical exploration.

(Mastering the fundamentals of physical chemistry is a challenge for many. The new edition of Elements of Physical Chemistry is the perfect resource for smoothing the path to a clear and thorough understanding of this vital branch of chemistry. With its emphasis on the physical principles, conveyed through lucid explanations and careful exposition of the essential mathematical concepts, and enhanced by enriched pedagogy and a new two-colour text design, Elements of Physical Chemistry is the perfect text for opening up this fascinating subject to more students than ever before Supplementary resources The companion web site will contain illustrations from book and 'Living Graphs', which give students the ability to alter parameters displayed in the graph and follow the consequences. A solutions manual will provide worked solutions to all the problems in the book)

The marvellous complexity of the Universe emerges from several deep laws and a handful of fundamental constants that fix its shape, scale, and destiny. There is a deep structure to the world which at the same time is simple, elegant, and beautiful. Where did these laws and these constants comefrom? And why are the laws so fruitful when written in the language of mathematics?Peter Atkins considers the minimum effort needed to equip the Universe with its laws and its constants. He explores the origin of the conservation of energy, of electromagnetism, of classical and quantum mechanics, and of thermodynamics, showing how all these laws spring from deep symmetries. Therevolutionary result is a short but immensely rich weaving together of the fundamental ideas of physics. With his characteristic wit, erudition, and economy, Atkins sketches out how the laws of Nature can spring from very little. Or arguably from nothing at all.

Illustrated with remarkable new full-color images--one or more on every page--and written by one of the world's leading authorities on the subject, Reactions offers a compact, pain-free tour of the inner workings of chemistry. Reactions begins with the chemical formula almost everyone knows--the formula for water, H2O--a molecule with an "almost laughably simple chemical composition." But Peter Atkins shows that water is also rather miraculous--it is the only substance whose solid form is less dense than its liquid (hence ice floats in water)--and incredibly central to many chemical reactions, as it is an excellent solvent, being able to dissolve gases and many solids. Moreover, Atkins tells us that water is actually chemically aggressive, and can react with and destroy the compounds dissolved in it, and he also shows us what happens at the molecular level when water turns to ice--and when it melts. Moving beyond water, Atkins slowly builds up a toolkit of basic chemical processes, including precipitation (perhaps the simplest of all chemical reactions), combustion, reduction, corrosion, electrolysis, and catalysis. He then shows how these fundamental tools can be brought together in more complex processes such as photosynthesis, radical polymerization, vision, enzyme control, and synthesis. Peter Atkins is a world-renowned chemist who has taught at Oxford for decades and has an established track record as a popular science writer. In this crystal-clear, attractively illustrated, and insightful volume, Atkins treats the reader to a fantastic introductory tour--in just a few hundred colorful and lively pages.

With the development of a variety of exciting new areas of research involving computational chemistry, nano- and smart materials, and applications of the recently discovered graphene, there can be no doubt that physical chemistry is a vitally important field. It is also perceived as the most daunting branch of chemistry, being necessarily grounded in physics and mathematics and drawing as it does on quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and statistical thermodynamics.With his typical clarity and hardly a formula in sight, Peter Atkins' Very Short Introduction explores the contributions physical chemistry has made to all branches of chemistry. Providing an insight into its central concepts Atkins reveals the cultural contributions physical chemistry has made to our understanding of the natural world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

In this investigation into the nature of the cosmos, P.W. Atkins explores the fundamental questions of modern the existence of the universe, time, chance, life and consciousness. Once we understand the building blocks of nature, such as quarks, electrons and the forces that hold them all together, it becomes possible to reconstruct, in principle, the process which first led to elements, then to more complex organisms, culminating in conscious human beings. By claiming that only the very simplest things appeared when the cosmos was formed, P.W. Atkins argues against the need for a creator. He tackles such questions as how coiled space-time emerged by chance out of its own dust, why physical change is always driven by decay and increasing chaos, and how consciousness required both a warm, stable platform like the Earth and a four-dimensional universe of space and time. He examines why light travels in straight lines and why there is only one dimension of time, as well as the most puzzling question of how something can come from nothing. First published in 1981 as "The Creation", this book has been revised ad includes an updated commentary and new chapter which considers how mathematics works as a description of the world and why it may provide the means of explaining the origins of the cosmos and consciousness. Complete knowledge, Atkins believes, is just within our grasp; in substaining that claim, he reveals the full power of modern scientific thinking.

Quantum mechanics embraces the behaviour of all known forms of matter, including the atoms and molecules from which we, and all living organisms, are composed. Molecular Quantum Mechanics leads us through this absorbing yet challenging subject, unravelling those fundamental physical principleswhich explain how all matter behaves.With the clarity of exposition and rich pedagogy which have established the book as a leading text in the field, Molecular Quantum Mechanics takes us from the foundations of quantum mechanics, through quantum models of atomic, molecular, and electronic structure, and on to discussions ofspectroscopy, and the electronic and magnetic properties of molecules. Lucid explanations and illuminating artworks help to visualise the many abstract concepts upon which the subject is built.Fully updated to reflect the latest advances in computational techniques, and enhanced with more mathematical support and worked examples than ever before, Molecular Quantum Mechanics remains the ultimate resource for those wishing to master this important subject.Supplementary resourcesCompanion web site, Illustrations available to downloadSolutions manual available to download [instructors only]

In this new edition of the book that was called "the most beautiful chemistry book ever written," Peter Atkins reveals the molecules responsible for the experiences of our everyday life in fabrics, drugs, plastics, explosives, detergents, fragrances, tastes, and sex. Atkins gives a non-technical account of a range of aspects of the world around us, revealing unexpected connections and insight into how it can be understood in terms of the atoms and molecules from which it is built. This new edition has dozens of new molecules, new graphic presentations, and a more accessible account of the molecules themselves. Peter Atkins is SmithKline Beecham Fellow and Tutor in Physical Chemistry at Oxford University. Atkins' research includes the fields of theoretical chemistry, particularly magnetic resonance and the electromagnetic properties of molecules. He spends virtually all his time writing books, which range from bestselling college textbooks to books on science for general audiences, including Galileo's Finger (Oxford, 2003); The Periodic Kingdom (Basic Books, 1997); The Second Law (W.H. Freeman, 1995); and Atoms, Electrons, and Change (W.H. Freeman, 1991). Previous Edition Paperback (W.H. Freeman, 1995) 0-7167-2928-8

The behaviour of those macromolecules and molecular assemblies that have vital roles in all living organisms is grounded in physical chemistry. Physical principles determine the stability of proteins and nucleic acids, the rate at which biochemical reactions proceed, the transport of moleculesacross biological molecules; they allow us to describe structure and reactivity in complex biological systems, and make sense of how these systems operate.Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences fills a void in the textbook market by offering a balanced presentation of the concepts of physical chemistry, and their extensive applications to biology and biochemistry. It is written to straddle the worlds of physical chemistry and the life sciences andto show students how the tools of physical chemistry can elucidate and illuminate biological questions.Opening with a suite of chapters on Biochemical Thermodynamics, with a focus on energy conversion in biological cells and the factors that stabilize proteins, nucleic acids, and cell membranes, the book goes on to explore the Kinetics of Life Processes, examining the rates of chemical reactions, howrates can help characterise the mechanism of a reaction, and how enzymes affect reaction rates. A third section, Biomolecular Structure, looks at how concepts of physical chemistry can be used to establish those 'rules' that govern the assembly of complex biological structures, while the finalsection, Biomolecular Spectroscopy, describes the major techniques in biochemistry that are being applied to help us to explore biochemical processes and systems ever further.Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences places emphasis on clear explanations of difficult concepts, with an eye toward building insight into biochemical phenomena. A rich palette of pedagogical features, including worked examples, illustrations, self-tests, and case studies, support studentlearning throughout, while special attention is given to providing extensive help to students with those mathematical concepts and techniques that are so central to a sound understanding of physical chemistry.Balancing clarity and rigor of exposition of basic concepts with extensive discussion of biological techniques and processes, Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences is the perfect resource for every life science student who seeks to master those essentials of physical chemistry that underpin lifeitself.- A Biochemical link at the start of each section explains how the physical chemistry content of the section is related to a biological concept, providing clear connections to students and acting as motivators for understanding- Toolbox sections describe techniques, and link experimental method with physical chemistry concepts, so the student can understand how experimental techniques are used to probe and solve chemical questions- Maths comments explain mathematical relationships and background necessary for solving problems, providing guidance and insight to bolster student understanding- Derivations present detailed derivations of key equations, and delineate intermediate steps, showing the student the enormous power of even simple mathematics- Worked examples illustrate the concepts being presented, empowering the student to apply the concepts for themselves- Self tests occur throughout the chapters, to enable students to immediately test their understanding- Checklists of key ideas at the end of each chapter provide a bulleted list of the information students should grasp from the chapter, facilitating student revision- End of chapter exercises come in three varieties, to enable students to apply the concepts introduced and check their - Discussion questions stimulate the qualitative understanding of problems- Exercises assess quantitative understanding- Projects stimulate more in-depth examination of questions at both a qualitative and quantitative levelOnline Resource Centre- Web links for each chapter, pointing students to interesting sources of related information and data, to facilitate self-directed learning- A list of key equations for each chapter, to help students revise and master the key mathematical concepts that underpin the subject- Living graphs, which present graphs from the text in interactive format, and enable students to strengthen their learning- Full colour artwork from the text in downloadable form, to facilitate lecture preparation

Beginning with quantum mechanics, introducing statistical mechanics, and progressing through to thermodynamics, this new text for the two-semester physical chemistry course features a wealth of new applications and insights, as well as new Mathematical Background inter-chapters to help students review key quantitative concepts. "This is a splendid book. True to the authors' philosophy as outlined in the preface, it approaches physical chemistry by first developing the quantum theory of molecular electronic structure, then by statistical arguments moves into thermodynamics, and thence to kinetics." - Peter Taylor, Review in Chemistry World (Royal Society of Chemistry), July 31, 2009.

Contains complete worked-out solutions for all "B" exercises and half of the end-of-chapter problems.

A century and a half ago the pioneering physicist and chemist Michael Faraday delivered a celebrated series of lectures that attempted to explain the inner workings of matter through the chemical history of a candle. "There is no better, there is no more open door by which you can enter into the study of natural philosophy", Faraday told his audience. Now the distinguished chemist P.W. Atkins follows in Faraday's footsteps, using his predecessor's deceptively simple theme to show how far we have come in understanding the remarkable chemical reactions that govern everything from how candles burn to how life functions. While Faraday could say little more than that a chemical reaction changes a substance's appearance and properties, chemists today understand reactions in terms of the rearrangement of atoms and electrons. Atkins - tracing the course of a carbon atom released by a flaming candle - explores the complex forces that operate at the atomic and sub atomic levels to drive these rearrangements.

An introduction and comprehensive reference book in the area of general chemistry. Features include: strategy sections; end-of-chapter problems; case studies with case problems; and numerous pedagogical aids. New to this edition is the addition of extra case problems and guest boxes.

Die Thermodynamik prägt unser gesamtes Verständnis der Welt: Grundsätzlich definiert sie, was Temperatur ist (»Nullter« Hauptsatz). Ihr erster Hauptsatz behandelt die Energieerhaltung, ihr zweiter die Entropiezunahme (die Tendenz zur Auflösung im gesamten Universum) und der dritte Hauptsatz die Unerreichbarkeit des absoluten Nullpunktes der Temperatur. Diese vier Grundgesetze erklärt der für seine ebenso einfachen wie anschaulichen Veröffentlichungen preisgekrönte Chemiker und Wissenschaftler Peter Atkins auf faszinierende Art und Weise.

Book by Atkins, Peter, Trapp, Charles

This Students solutions manual to accompany Atkins' Physical Chemistry provides detailed solutions to the 'a' exercises, and the odd-numbered discussion questions and problems that feature in the eighth edition of Atkins' Physical Chemistry. Intended for students and instructors alike, themanual provides helpful comments and friendly advice to aid understanding. The student's solutions manual is an invaluable resource wherever Atkins' Physical Chemistry is used for teaching.

This manual contains the authors' detailed solutions to the 353 problems at the ends of the chapters in the third edition of Molecular Quantum Mechanics . Most problem solutions are accompanied by a further related exercise. The manual will be invaluable both to the instructors and lecturerswho adopt the parent text and to the students themselves.

With its modern emphasis on the molecular view of physical chemistry, its wealth of contemporary applications, vivid full-color presentation, and dynamic new media tools, the thoroughly revised new edition is again the most modern, most effective full-length textbook available for the physical chemistry classroom. Volume 1 of Physical Chemistry, Ninth Edition, contains the new edition’s new Fundamentals chapters (Chapter 0), plus coverage of thermodynamics (Chapters 1-6) and kinetics (Chapters 20-23)

Book by Atkins, Peter, dePaula, Julio, Friedman, Ron

From the author of the world's most widely used textbooks of physical chemistry, this pocket reference guide is an essential summary of the key concepts that are likely to be met in an undergraduate chemistry course. Designed as a complement to the author's best-selling text Physical Chemistry, the book is also useful for all who encounter physical chemical concepts in research or other areas of professional activity. Individual entries are characterized by their clarity of presentation and extensive use in made of two-colour illustrations throughout the book. Concepts in Physical Chemistry is a guide to mainstream physical chemistry - the physical chemistry that students encounter and that is likely to crop up in every day chemistry.