Reddit reviews Physical Chemistry, 9th Edition

Here are all 4 books for less than $170 total

• Book 1
  
• Book 2
  
• Book 3
  
• Book 4
  
  You are in college, be a smart consumer.

Last time this was posted someone pointed out that all these books could be purchased for significantly less than $1000.


https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Chemical-Reaction-Engineering-4th/dp/0130473944

https://www.amazon.com/Physical-Chemistry-9th-Peter-Atkins/dp/1429218126

https://www.amazon.com/Separation-Process-Principles-Applications-Simulators/dp/0470481838

https://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Steven-S-Zumdahl/dp/061852844X

Classes to consider should include:

• Math: up through partial differential equations. Many undergraduate programs in chemistry are happy to let you stop after taking multivariate calculus. But to get into the meat of quantum, PDEs is suggested.
  
  
• Chemistry: As /u/Kalivha said, computational chemistry, spectroscopy, solid state, and statistical mechanics. I'd go a step further and add inorganic chemistry to the list. You'll get a good smattering of MO theory, crystal lattice theory, and the like.
  
  
• Physics: a more intense variety of quantum mechanics would be offered in the physics department, so do check into this if you are semi-serious.
  
  
• Good texts: McQuarrie is a gold standard. My personal favorite is Atkins and de Paula's Physical Chemistry. They go into - in some places, at least - absurd detail, which tends to help people. For inorganic, look into Miessler and Tarr's Inorganic Chemistry.
  
  Happy hunting!

Found all these books for less than 250, don't buy books at the bookstore
first, second, third, fourth

We used a general P-chem textbook I'm afraid, and either focused only on questions that were biological in nature, or the professor used them as jumping off points for biologically-relevant examples.

https://www.amazon.com/Physical-Chemistry-9th-Peter-Atkins/dp/1429218126

(I personally used the "international" edition which was far cheaper)

Well, it is a combination of organic chemistry (questions IV,V and VI) and inorganic chemistry (II). Question I is a basic chemistry question.

Question III is maybe inorganic, but could be thermodynamic as well. It depends on where you get the question. I have gotten similar questions in courses about thermodynamics and inorganic chemistry.

I'm not sure what basic books could be useful for you. For my bachelor I use the books organic chemistry and Physical chemistry. These books are quite advanced, I don't know if it helps you in anyway. But this is at least a start.

Sorry, couldn't find a book for inorganic chemistry. (don't know the writer and I can't get to my books unfortunately)

Good luck with learning chemistry!

Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, $135 new

Physical Chemistry, 9th edition (newer), $74 used (out of print)

Separation Process Principles, $121 new

I have a hard time believing that basic Chemistry book is $670

edit: someone beat me to it, the chemistry book is not $670, its $50

It's not a light read. it covers the core fundamentals of electrochemistry including mass transport, diffusion, and migration of charge at electrode interfaces, as well as, practical application of electrochemical techniques which include but aren't limited to polarography, cyclic volametry and other sweep/step techniques. The book focuses on the mathematical derivations of many important benchmark equations like cotrell and rendall-sevich which are used extensively. the proofs can be a bit challenging to follow without a decent background in calculus (diff. eq. helps too) but even if the derivations are lost, the important equations still hold true.

if you're looking for an introductory text for redox couples using electrochemistry you might be better off consulting a sophomoric text like Brown; Chemistry: The Central Science - Chapter 20 or Atkins' - Physical Chemistry - Chapter 7 & 25

don't hold me to those chapters... they could have changed from edition to edition.

I've always found Atkins' Physical Chemistry to be fairly decent - and QM is one of his stronger areas.