CHEM 4475 Physical Chemistry I

This course deals with the foundations and applications of thermodynamics and reaction kinetics. Topics include: (1) classical thermodynamics, including the Laws of Thermodynamics, Helmholtz and Gibbs energies, chemical potential, and thermodynamic descriptions of phase equilibria and chemical equilibrium; (2) kinetic theory of gases; (3) chemical reaction rate laws and mechanisms.

Course overview

Department
Chemistry
School
MCAS
Credits
3
Level
Undergraduate
Offered
Every Fall

Catalog details

Corequisites
MATH2202 and PHYS2100-2101/2200-2201 are pre- or co-requisites.

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

  • Environmental Geoscience B.S.: (C) Electives: approved non-EESC courses (up to 6 credits of the 18 elective credits) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Geological Sciences B.S.: (C) Electives: approved non-EESC courses (up to 6 credits of the 19 elective credits) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Mathematics B.S.: Natural science, computer science, or economics corequisites (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Chemistry B.S.: Two semesters of physical chemistry lecture (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

3.75 / 5

Based on 106 aggregate responses from BC Avalanche/Blue evaluations.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Udayan Mohanty
    Fall 2026, Fall 2021 · Official rating 2.47/5
  • Alexis Grimaud
    Fall 2025, Fall 2024, Fall 2023 · Official rating 4.53/5
  • Boqiang Chen
    Fall 2022 · Official rating 3.89/5
  • Yu Shen Hsu
    Fall 2025 · Official rating 3.53/5

Sections

  • Section 01
    Fall 2026 · Udayan Mohanty · Merkert Chemistry Center 129 TuTh 10:30AM-11:45AM · Offered
  • Section 02
    Fall 2026 · Instructor not listed · Merkert Chemistry Center 129 M 06:00PM-06:50PM · Offered