Atkins' Physical Chemistry

That this is, as another reviewer pointed out, the de facto undergrad physical chemistry text is a problem because there isn't really a widely-available alternative. Lazy lecturers just recommend this book if their course is in physical or physical inorganic chemistry as they seem to assume it will contain everything their students need. Sadly this is rarely the case (in my experience). It may be worth obtaining some of the OUP primers for some of the more specialist topics or trying to find some more specific texts in your university library.

I feel that the mathematics in this book is too advanced. Many of my undergraduate colleagues struggled to understand the derivations and justifications, for example. But I suppose this depends entirely on your mathematical background; I came to university with A-level Pure Maths and had few problems. Those who had only AS Pure (or A-level Pure/Applied) seemed to find the material far more challenging.

In the book's defense, the topics on quantum theory are far more rigorous and thorough than most of the other material covered. If you are on an undergrad chemistry degree you probably won't do that much quantum mechanics though, so (as stated above) you may want to just find a dedicated book in the library.

There are some very clear colour diagrams in this book which can help to augment the text on a few topics (again, particularly the chapters on QM). I found the practice exercises fairly useless as they were, generally, more advanced than anything covered in my lecture courses. (This will, of course, depend on what is covered at your university.)

By the way, don't buy the solutions manual. Complete waste of money which doesn't come close to explaining clearly what's going on.

Concluding, it's difficult to either encourage or dissuade anyone from buying this. Wait until you get a little way into your course and have a flick through it in the library. If it looks like your physical lectures and problem questions are basically being copied from it (apparently quite common...), then by all means take the plunge and buy it. Just give it some thought and don't buy it without reading it first.


It's simple   November 8, 2003
4 out of 8 found this review helpful

I totally agree with the review givig by another reader!

Most people find Physical chemistry quite tough. Although I don't promise this book will solve all their problems, but it aint a bad start!

But this book is simply the defacto undergraduate text in Physical chemistry.

Pretty much everything in one book!

During my time as a student, almost all the lecturers follow the content covered in the Atkins book.

Provides all the information and goes as far as including the mathematical derviations of the all principles in the book.

If you are serious about physical chemistry, you have to buy this book! Don't waste your money on his inorganic chemistry book, but I think this book is a must and will last the whole duration of a 4 year european chemistry degree course.