Syllabus
1. Molecular structure. Non-covalent interactions. Structure of proteins, nucleic acids. Biological membranes. Interactions of matter with electromagnetic radiation. Refraction, optical activity, absorption of light. Atomic and molecular spectra. Spectroscopy, use of spectroscopy in environmental sciences.
2. Secondary light radiation. Jablonski diagram. Fluorescence, phosphorescence. Chemiluminiscence. Generation of electronically excited species. Photochemical processes in atmosphere. Fluorescence spectroscopy.
3. Basis of chemical thermodynamics. First law, thermochemistry, second law, entropy. Gibbs energy, Helmholtz energy. Thermodynamics of irreversible processes.
4. Basis of reaction kinetics. Basic terms, theory of reaction rate. Catalysis. Enzyme reactions. Significance for environmental sciences.
5. Chemical equilibria. Mobile equilibria and Guldgerg-Waag law. Degree of conversion and its changes.
6. Equilibria in solutions of electrolytes. Weak and strong electrolytes, water dissociation and pH. Product of solubility. Modern approaches to dissociation of electrolytes.
7. Solutions of biopolymers. Association-dissociation equilibria, interactions of biopolymers with high- and low- molecular compounds. Cooperativity and allosteric effect. Hemoglobine, its biophysical properties.
8. Transport phenomena, electrolysis, significance for environmental sciences.
9. Equilibria between electrode and electrolyte. Electromotoric voltage and electrode potential. Measurement of electrode potential. Types of electrodes, applications in environmental sciences. Enzyme electrodes.
10. Galvanic cells. Primary, secondary fuel cells. Significance of electrochemical sources for environmental sciences. Hydrogen as fuel of future. Corrosion.
11. Phase equilibria. Equilibria and chemical potential. One, two, and three component systems. Adsorption equilibria. Character of adsorption. Adsorption isotherm. Practical applications, chromatography.
12. Systems of colloids. Classification, preparation of colloids, importance. Lyophilic and lyophobic forces. Ultrafiltration, dialysis, electrophoresis. Aerosols, foams, emulsions, gels.
Annotation
Physical Chemistry
This course is focused on basic physical chemistry, applied on the study of environmental problems. The great attention is paid to the photochemistry, electrochemistry and energetics. Microheterogeneous systems and their importance in living systems are explained in details as well.