In this lecture the author has explained What is physical chemistry, history, scope, importance and uses of physical chemistry. What is physical chemistry? Physical chemistry is the study of energy and matter. It examines how these two elements interact with each other in various environments. In this blog post, we will explore what exactly constitutes physical chemistry, as well as its history and some common applications of it in our everyday life.

1. Physical Chemistry- History Scope And
Uses
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
In this ppt, you will learn
What is physical chemistry,
history, scope, importance and uses of
physical chemistry.

2. What is physical chemistry?
Physical chemistry is the study of energy and matter. It
examines how these two elements interact with each other
in various environments.
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3. History of Physical chemistry
 Physical chemistry is the study of physical phenomena associated with chemical systems.
 The term “physical” was coined by chemist Ernst Mach in 1883 to designate what he called “the science that
deals with matter as it appears at absolute zero temperature”. Today we know this not to be true; for
example, ice can exist – but they are different substances than water molecules.
 The history of physical chemistry begins about 1665 when Robert Boyle discovered his law linking pressure
and volume during gas expansion together under constant temperature conditions (also known as Boyle’s
Law).
 Physical chemistry was founded as a formal discipline in the late 1800s through the efforts of scientists such
as J. Willard Gibbs, Josiah Parsons Cooke, and Amedeo Avogadro who introduced concepts like chemical
potential and reaction equilibrium to explain bulk phenomena observed in their experiments with gases.
 In 1875 German chemist Hermann Wilhelm Vogel discovered an organic substance (urea) that reacts with
concentrated nitric acid but does not react appreciably with hydrochloric or sulfuric acids – so he called this
newly found compound “the physical chemist’s stone”.
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4. Scope of physical chemistry
 Physical chemistry is a branch of science that studies the interactions between matter and energy.
This field encompasses everything from nanotechnology to astrophysics, but it also translates into
applications like environmental engineering and biochemistry
 In physics, for example, physicists study how particles interact with each other at atomic length
scales or higher levels of organization; these are well below where we observe behavior on our
macroscopic scale.
 Physical chemistry is crucial because it bridges the gap between small-scale processes governed
by atomic interactions and large-scale phenomena like global warming — without understanding
emergent behavior across scales we would not know where to direct research efforts.
 A famous example of physical chemical application includes pollution control devices such as
filters used on car exhaust systems (often called catalytic converters).
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5. Importance of physical chemistry in our
lives
 Physical chemistry is the study of molecules, atoms and matter. It has an important role in our
lives because it provides us with a better understanding about how materials behave on scales
that are too small to see without a microscope.
 It also helps researchers create new ways to make things like medicines, plastics, fuels and other
products.
 It also enables chemists to develop new types of materials for use in products, such as plastics
and medicines.”
 Physical chemistry has a significant impact on our lives. Physical chemistry can help researchers
create better drugs, fuel sources and many others that improve people’s health or well-being.
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6. Uses of Physical chemistry
 Physical chemistry is the study of matter, energy, and their interactions. It’s
applications can be seen in many fields including medicine, environmental
applications, polymer science, and nanotechnology. Let’s explore 10 applications
that you may not have known about before!
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7. 1) Forensics
 When a criminal leaves behind evidence at a crime scene such as hair or blood
samples then these are analyzed using various techniques from physical chemists
to help identify them.
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8. 2) Plastic Surgery
 Chemicals used during surgeries like silicone for breast augmentation have been
developed by chemical engineers which requires an understanding of how
different chemicals interact with each other when they come into contact with
human tissue. This knowledge also helps in developing new substances to make
surgery safer and more effective.
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9. 3) Cleaning Agents
 A lot of the cleaning agents we use in our homes and offices are based on
compounds from physical chemistry. For example, different types of detergents
have been developed as well as cutting fluids for surgery applications.
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10. 4) Air Quality
 The quality of the air we breathe is also dependent on applications
from physical chemistry. Air pollution can be identified and
monitored using various tools including gas chromatography to detect
different chemicals that may be in the atmosphere.
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11. 5) Textiles
 There are many applications of physical chemistry that can be seen in
the textile industry. For example, polymers such as nylon and rayon
used to make clothes have been developed by chemists to produce
materials with various properties for different applications.
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12. 6) Pharmaceuticals
 The applications of physical chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry
can be seen with many drugs. For example, antibiotics are often
developed for specific illnesses and may contain a number of different
chemicals to act on bacteria as well as other applications like inhalants
which affect how we breathe.
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13. 7) Building Materials
 Chemists often use applications from physical chemistry to develop
various building materials. For example, polymers like acrylic or
urethane are used in high-rise buildings as well as places such as
hospitals and schools where they may be exposed to water damage.
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14. 8) Personal Care
 You might not have thought about it before but applications from
physical chemistry are often used in the personal care industry. For
example, hair dye is a mixture of chemicals and other applications
like nail polish can be seen for its durability and glossy finish.
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15. 9) Food
 The applications of physical chemistry can also be seen in the
food industry. For example, Food preservation, storing of foods,
vitamin addition etc.
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16. 10) Weather Forecasting
 The applications of physical chemistry can also be seen in the weather industry.
For example, by studying how particles such as water vapor and dust interact
with each other we are able to predict when different types of storms will happen
using computer models.
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