Physical Chemistry I with Lab
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course will combine the basic aspects of chemical thermodynamics with experimental experiences aimed at the collection and handling of data and the estimation of the error on the thermodynamic parameters obtained.
Expected learning outcomes
The student will learn the principles that allow to interpret and quantitatively predict the behavior and reactivity of simple chemical systems (pure substances, simple mixtures, solutions) as a function of the physical chemical boundary conditions. In the laboratory, the student will experimentally verify what is illustrated in class and learns how to handle data and by drawing up a report accompanied by graphs and numerical calculations. The practical activities also allow the students to develop collaborative skills and problem-solving skills.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Prerequisites for admission
Basic knowledge of mathematics and physics. In detail: infinitesimal calculus, about rules of derivation and related properties of derivatives, definite integrals, differentials in one and more variables. These contents are available in the basic courses in mathematics and physics of the bachelor's degree in Chemistry of the University of Milan.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will assess whether students have understood the fundamental laws of chemical thermodynamics at equilibrium and whether they are able to apply these laws to solve practical problems in chemical thermodynamics. Students' ability to write a technical report based on practical laboratory experiences will also be evaluated.
The evaluation process consists of two parts:
(i) Technical report, graded on a 30-point scale, which accounts for 30% of the final grade.
(ii) Final exam, graded on a 30-point scale, which accounts for 70% of the final grade. The final exam is composed of a written and an oral component. In the written exam, students will be required to solve multiple-choice exercises in chemical thermodynamics and electrochemistry, aimed at assessing their problem-solving skills. The oral exam will assess their theoretical knowledge of basic thermodynamics. The exam grade (written + oral) will be calculated as the average of the two scores [(written grade + oral grade)/2].
At the discretion of the instructors, midterm exams ("compitini" or "partial exams") may be offered as an alternative to the final exam mentioned in the previous point. During the semester, two midterm exams may be scheduled during class hours, and participation is entirely voluntary. Each exam will include both multiple-choice problems and open-ended theoretical questions. Only students who achieve a passing grade (at least 18/30) on the first exam will be allowed to take the second one. The final grade, expressed on a 30-point scale, will be the average of the two exams and, if sufficient, will exempt the student from the oral exam.
In both parts of the examination (written and oral, or the two midterm exams), a grade of at least 18/30 is required to pass. Outstanding performance will be rewarded with honors (30/30 with distinction, cum laude).
The final exam consists of a written test and an oral. In the written test, students will be asked to solve numerical exercises and/or multiple-choice tests in thermodynamics, chemistry and electrochemistry, aimed at verifying their application skills in solving problems. During the oral session, their theoretical knowledge of basic thermodynamics will be verified. The mark of the exam (written + oral) is given by the corresponding average [(written mark + oral mark)/2]. In both parts of the exam, the sufficiency is achieved against an evaluation of not less than 18/30. Exceptional results will be awarded with an honorable mention (30/30 cum laude).
The evaluation process consists of two parts:
(i) Technical report, graded on a 30-point scale, which accounts for 30% of the final grade.
(ii) Final exam, graded on a 30-point scale, which accounts for 70% of the final grade. The final exam is composed of a written and an oral component. In the written exam, students will be required to solve multiple-choice exercises in chemical thermodynamics and electrochemistry, aimed at assessing their problem-solving skills. The oral exam will assess their theoretical knowledge of basic thermodynamics. The exam grade (written + oral) will be calculated as the average of the two scores [(written grade + oral grade)/2].
At the discretion of the instructors, midterm exams ("compitini" or "partial exams") may be offered as an alternative to the final exam mentioned in the previous point. During the semester, two midterm exams may be scheduled during class hours, and participation is entirely voluntary. Each exam will include both multiple-choice problems and open-ended theoretical questions. Only students who achieve a passing grade (at least 18/30) on the first exam will be allowed to take the second one. The final grade, expressed on a 30-point scale, will be the average of the two exams and, if sufficient, will exempt the student from the oral exam.
In both parts of the examination (written and oral, or the two midterm exams), a grade of at least 18/30 is required to pass. Outstanding performance will be rewarded with honors (30/30 with distinction, cum laude).
The final exam consists of a written test and an oral. In the written test, students will be asked to solve numerical exercises and/or multiple-choice tests in thermodynamics, chemistry and electrochemistry, aimed at verifying their application skills in solving problems. During the oral session, their theoretical knowledge of basic thermodynamics will be verified. The mark of the exam (written + oral) is given by the corresponding average [(written mark + oral mark)/2]. In both parts of the exam, the sufficiency is achieved against an evaluation of not less than 18/30. Exceptional results will be awarded with an honorable mention (30/30 cum laude).
Physical Chemistry I
Course syllabus
Conventional and reference states. Variables and equations of state. Behavior of ideal gases. Isothermal processes, isobars, isochors. Kinetic theory of gases and Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. Real gases. Van der Waals and virial equations of state. Principle of corresponding states. Critical constants.
Heat, work, energy. State functions. Exact and inexact differentials. First law of thermodynamics. Joule's experiment. Thermal expansion. Reversible and irreversible processes. Calorimetry. Thermal capacities. Enthalpy. Thermochemistry: Hess law, Born-Haber cycles. Joule-Thomson effect. Adiabatic transformations. Kirchoff's law.
Second Law of Thermodynamics. Clausius inequality. Entropy. Third Law of Thermodynamics and Nernst's Theorem. Heating and cooling machines. Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies. Maxwell's state equations. Natural variables. Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. Gibbs-Duhem equation.
Chemical equilibrium in the gas phase and in the liquid phase. Degree of progress of a reaction. Endergonic and exergonic transformations. Thermodynamic definition of the equilibrium constant. Le Chatelier-Brown principle. Effects of temperature and pressure on equilibrium. van't Hoff equation.
Simple mixtures. Partial molar quantities. Henry's law. Raoult's law. Chemical potential of liquids: ideal and ideal-diluted solutions. Mixtures: excess functions. Colligative properties: boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, osmosis. Activity and fugacity. Real solutes.
States of aggregation of matter. Thermodynamic phases. Clapeyron and Clausius-Clapeyron equations. Gibbs phase rule. Phase diagrams of pure substances and binary systems. Leverage rule. Eutectic, peritectic, eutectoid and peritectoid mixtures. Azeotropic mixtures. Incongruent melting. Azeotropic distillation (outline).
Heat, work, energy. State functions. Exact and inexact differentials. First law of thermodynamics. Joule's experiment. Thermal expansion. Reversible and irreversible processes. Calorimetry. Thermal capacities. Enthalpy. Thermochemistry: Hess law, Born-Haber cycles. Joule-Thomson effect. Adiabatic transformations. Kirchoff's law.
Second Law of Thermodynamics. Clausius inequality. Entropy. Third Law of Thermodynamics and Nernst's Theorem. Heating and cooling machines. Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies. Maxwell's state equations. Natural variables. Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. Gibbs-Duhem equation.
Chemical equilibrium in the gas phase and in the liquid phase. Degree of progress of a reaction. Endergonic and exergonic transformations. Thermodynamic definition of the equilibrium constant. Le Chatelier-Brown principle. Effects of temperature and pressure on equilibrium. van't Hoff equation.
Simple mixtures. Partial molar quantities. Henry's law. Raoult's law. Chemical potential of liquids: ideal and ideal-diluted solutions. Mixtures: excess functions. Colligative properties: boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, osmosis. Activity and fugacity. Real solutes.
States of aggregation of matter. Thermodynamic phases. Clapeyron and Clausius-Clapeyron equations. Gibbs phase rule. Phase diagrams of pure substances and binary systems. Leverage rule. Eutectic, peritectic, eutectoid and peritectoid mixtures. Azeotropic mixtures. Incongruent melting. Azeotropic distillation (outline).
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons
Teaching Resources
P. W. Atkins, Julio de Paula, James Keeler. Physical Chemistry (From 11th edition).
Instructor's class slides.
Instructor's class slides.
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry I
Course syllabus
The module will be divided into 3 CFU of theory and 3 CFU of an experimental laboratory.
THEORY (3 CFU): ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS. Electrochemical systems: batteries and electrolyzers. Electrode reactions: stoichiometry and global reaction. The Nernst equation and the thermodynamics of the galvanic cell: the Volta, surface and Galvani potentials. The electrochemical potential. The formation of the electric double layer; thermodynamics of the interphase: the electrocapillary curve. Debye Huckel's theory: limit law. Pourbaix diagrams. Electrical properties of molecules: electric dipole moment, polarizability, polarization. The interactions between the molecules: charge-dipole, dipole-dipole, dipole- induced dipole and induced dipole - induced dipole, hydrogen bond. Total interaction (repulsive and attractive sum), Lennard-Jones potential. Molecular interactions in liquids. Notes on the treatment and propagation of errors.
EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY (3 CFU). During the experimental laboratory, chemical and physical quantities are determined (values of ΔU, ΔH, ΔG and the equilibrium constant, K) by the collection of experimental data (calorimetric, electrochemical, spectrophotometric, and vapour pressures) which are then plotted and processed through thermodynamic relationships. Specifically, the experiments will be: 1) Determination of the vapour pressure of different solvents and their enthalpy of vaporization, 2) Determination of the pKa of the bromocresol green by spectrophotometry, 3) Determination of the heat of combustion of an unknown substance by means of a calorimetric bomb; 4) Determination of the iodide-iodide equilibrium constant by spectrophotometric measurements; and 5) Determination of Delta-rG°, Delta-rS° and Delta-rH° of a reaction by open circuit cell potential measurements at different temperatures.
THEORY (3 CFU): ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS. Electrochemical systems: batteries and electrolyzers. Electrode reactions: stoichiometry and global reaction. The Nernst equation and the thermodynamics of the galvanic cell: the Volta, surface and Galvani potentials. The electrochemical potential. The formation of the electric double layer; thermodynamics of the interphase: the electrocapillary curve. Debye Huckel's theory: limit law. Pourbaix diagrams. Electrical properties of molecules: electric dipole moment, polarizability, polarization. The interactions between the molecules: charge-dipole, dipole-dipole, dipole- induced dipole and induced dipole - induced dipole, hydrogen bond. Total interaction (repulsive and attractive sum), Lennard-Jones potential. Molecular interactions in liquids. Notes on the treatment and propagation of errors.
EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY (3 CFU). During the experimental laboratory, chemical and physical quantities are determined (values of ΔU, ΔH, ΔG and the equilibrium constant, K) by the collection of experimental data (calorimetric, electrochemical, spectrophotometric, and vapour pressures) which are then plotted and processed through thermodynamic relationships. Specifically, the experiments will be: 1) Determination of the vapour pressure of different solvents and their enthalpy of vaporization, 2) Determination of the pKa of the bromocresol green by spectrophotometry, 3) Determination of the heat of combustion of an unknown substance by means of a calorimetric bomb; 4) Determination of the iodide-iodide equilibrium constant by spectrophotometric measurements; and 5) Determination of Delta-rG°, Delta-rS° and Delta-rH° of a reaction by open circuit cell potential measurements at different temperatures.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons
Practical lab experiments
Practical lab experiments
Teaching Resources
P. W. Atkins, Julio de Paula, James Keeler. Physical Chemistry (From 11th edition).
Instructor's class slides.
Instructor's class slides.
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry I
CHIM/02 - PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY - University credits: 6
Laboratories: 48 hours
Lessons: 24 hours
Lessons: 24 hours
Professors:
Cappelletti Giuseppe, Vertova Alberto
Shifts:
Corso A
Professor:
Vertova AlbertoCorso B
Professor:
Cappelletti Giuseppe
Physical Chemistry I
CHIM/02 - PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor:
Lo Presti Leonardo
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
To be arrenged
Personal Office (3112, Dept of Chemistry, Third floor, Western Section)
Reception:
To be arranged by e-mail
Prof. Lo Presti Office R21S, Dept. of Chemistry, Ground Floor, South Section
Reception:
Wednesday 14-16; Friday 14-16
Dipartimento di Chimica - sezione di Elettrochimica 2nd floor