On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Apply the First Law of thermodynamics to a system and its surroundings.
2. Explain the Second Law of thermodynamics and relate it to the physical meaning of entropy of a system.
3. Gather data, synthesise and calculate changes in state functions such as enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy.
4. Relate thermodynamic quantities to the potential of an electrochemical cell.
5. Determine rate laws from kinetic data and relate these to mechanisms and the determination of theoretical rate equations.
6. Conduct basic chemistry experiments, individually or as a member of a team, showing familiarity with scientific instrumentation, identifying accuracy and reliability, and carrying out risk assessments.
7. Analyse and communicate experimental data correctly in a Lab Report and/or record of the results of investigations, using the conventions of scientific writing.

1. The First Law of Thermodynamics and transfer of energy as work and/or heat due to some simple physical and biological processes
2. The difference between thermodynamically reversible and irreversible processes
3. Heat capacities, and the relationships between heat and enthalpy change
4. The Second Law of Thermodynamics, its applications, and the calculation of entropy of the system, and surroundings
5. Calculation of Gibbs free energy and their effect on (1) the direction of chemical change; (2) the equilibrium constant of a chemical reaction; and (3) the reversible potential of an electrochemical cell and/or ion transport across a biological membrane
6. Calculation of equilibrium constants using thermodynamic quantities, with applications to a range of chemical/biological processes, and how chemical equilibria are affected by changed reaction conditions and/or inter- and intramolecular interactions
7. Use of van?ft Hoff plots for calculating enthalpy and entropy changes
8. The relationship between thermodynamic quantities and the equilibrium potential of an electrochemical cell, and/or ion and electron transport in biological systems (for example, ion channels and ion pumps)
9. Thermodynamic nonideality and its modelling using activities and activity coefficients
10. Rate equations, reaction orders and rate constants and determination of simple rate laws from experimental kinetic data using integrated rate equations and initial rate methods
11. The relationships between reaction mechanisms and rate equations, and the effects of temperature on reaction rates
12. Use of the steady-state and pre-equilibrium approximations in a range of kinetic calculations; and/or enzyme catalysis and inhibition as illustrated by Michaelis-Menten model
13. Laboratory skills and techniques in