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Application of the concepts and laws of physics to chemical phenomena in order
to describe in quantitative (mathematical) terms a vast amount of qualitative
(observational) information.
A selection of only the most important concepts of physical chemistry would include: the
electron wave equation and the quantum mechanical interpretation of atomic and molecular
structure, the study of the subatomic fundamental particles of matter, application of
thermodynamics to heats of formation of compounds and the heats of chemical reaction, the
theory of rate processes and chemical equilibria, orbital theory and chemical bonding,
surface chemistry, including catalysis and finely divided particles, the principles of
electrochemistry and ionization. Although physical chemistry is closely related to both
inorganic and organic chemistry, it is considered a separate discipline.
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