Chemical Thermodynamics

Table of Contents

1. Internal Energy

  • \( U \)

The definition depends greatly on the system.

In chemistry, the system is often a bulk of matter. Internal energy represents bonding energy, intermolecular energy, dispersion as well as the kinetic energy of molecules.

Keep in mind the first law of thermodynamics: \[ dU = \delta Q + \delta W, \] and the relation between state functions: \[ dU = TdS - pdV + \sum_i \mu_i dN_i. \]

2. Enthalpy

  • \( H := U + pV \)

Chemical reaction is mostly done in isobaric condition in which: \[ dH = \delta Q + Vdp = \delta Q. \]

3. Helmholtz Free Energy

  • \( A := U - TS \)

A for Arbeit.

4. Gibbs Free Energy

  • \( G := U - TS + pV = H - TS = A + pV \)

5. Activity

Relative activity \( a_i \) of a species \( i \) is defined as: \[ a_i := \exp \left( \frac{\mu_i - \mu_i^{\circleddash}}{RT} \right) \] where \( \mu_i \) is the molar chemical potential of the species \( i \).

Equivalently, \[ \mu_i = \mu_i^{\circleddash} + RT\ln a_i. \]

Activity is indicates the deviation from the standard chemical potential \( \mu_i^{\circleddash} \). In particular, it contains the entropy of mixing: \[ \Delta S_{\rm mix} = -R \sum_i n_i \ln x_i. \] The Gibbs free energy per mole is given under isothermal condition:

\begin{align*} \left(\frac{\partial G}{\partial n_i}\right)_{T, p, N_{j\neq i}} &= \left( \frac{\partial G^{\circleddash}}{\partial n_i} \right)_{T, p, N_{j\neq i}} + \left( \frac{\partial \Delta H_{\rm mix}}{\partial n_i}\right)_{T, p, N_{j\neq i}}- T \left( \frac{\partial \Delta S_{\rm mix}}{\partial n_i} \right)_{T, p, N_{j\neq i}} \\ &= \mu_i^{\circleddash} + RT\ln \gamma_i + RT\ln x_i. \end{align*}

The Helmholtz energy change can happen due to the intermolecular interaction which is not present in ideal case. Yes, \( n_i \) dependence of \( x_i \) is properly considered. Try differentiate it.

5.1. Water Activity

\[ a_w := \frac{p}{p^{*}} \] where \( p \) is the partial water vapor pressure in equilibrium with the solution, and \( p^{*} \) is the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature.

6. Activity Coefficient

There are different activity coefficients for each intensive quantity of amount.

\[ a_{i} = \gamma_{x,i} x_i = \gamma_{c,i} \frac{c_i}{c^{\circleddash}} \] where \( x_i \) is the mole fraction of the species \( i \), \( c_{i} \) is the molarity, and \( c^{\circleddash} \) is the standard concentration (usually 1 mol/L).

6.1. Extended Debye-Hückel Equation

At room temperature, \[ \log \gamma_c = \frac{-0.51 z^2 \sqrt{\mu}}{1+(\alpha \sqrt{\mu} / 305)} \] where \( z \) is the charge, \( \alpha \) is the size in picometers, and \( \mu \) is the ionic strength in mol/L.

6.2. Pitzer Equations

7. Fugacity

\[ a_i = \frac{f_i}{p^{\circleddash}} \]

8. pH

\[ \mathrm{pH} := - \log a_{\rm H^+}. \]

Yes, this is more exact definition.

9. Equilibrium Constant

For a reaction \[ 0 \to \sum_i\nu_i \mathrm{X}_i, \] the equilibrium constant \( K \) is defined as: \[ K := \prod_i a_i^{\nu_i}. \]

9.1. Acid Dissociation Constant

\[ K_\mathrm{a} := \frac{a_{\mathrm{H}^+} a_{\mathrm{A}^-}}{a_{\mathrm{HA}}}. \]

9.2. Base Association Constant

  • Base Hydrolysis Constant

\[ K_\mathrm{b} := \frac{a_{\mathrm{BH}^+}a_{ \mathrm{OH}^-}}{a_{ \mathrm{B}}}. \]

9.3. Solubility Product

\[ K_{\rm sp} := a_{\mathrm{A}^-}a_{\mathrm{B}^+}. \]

Solid is in its standard state, and the activity is by definition one.

9.4. Autoprotolysis Constant

\[ K_{\mathrm{w}} := [\mathrm{H}^+][\mathrm{OH}^-]. \]

\( K_{\mathrm{w}} = 1.01\times 10^{-14}\) at 25.0 ℃.

10. Ionic Strength

\[ \mu := \frac{1}{2}\sum_{\text{species } i} c_iz_i^2 \] where \( c_i \) is the concentration, and \( z_i \) is the charge number.

11. Exchange Energy

For each pair of indistinguishable electrons, the system is stabilized by the amount of exchange energy \( \Pi_e \).

12. Hard and Soft Acid and Base

The absolute hardness \( \eta \) is defined by: \[ \eta := \frac{I - A}{2} \] where \( I \) is the ionization energy, and \( A \) is the electron affinity.

Notice that it is half the gap between HOMO and LUMO, with the center being the absolute electronegativity \( \chi \): \[ \chi := \frac{I + A}{2}. \]

If \( \eta \) is high, it is hard for the electron in the HOMO to "squish", that is, to be in a superposition of excited states and ground state.

13. Symmetry-Adapted Linear Combination

  • SALC

14. Ligand Field Theory

15. References

Author: Jeemin Kim

Created: 2026-07-12 Sun 14:27