Chemical physics is a branch of physics that studies chemical processes from a physical point of view. It focuses on understanding the physical properties and behavior of chemical systems, using principles from both physics and chemistry. This field investigates physicochemical phenomena using techniques from atomic and molecular physics and

condensed matter physics Condensed matter physics is the field of physics that deals with the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter, especially the solid and liquid State of matter, phases, that arise from electromagnetic forces between atoms and elec ...

. The

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and ...

defines chemical physics as "A program that focuses on the scientific study of structural phenomena combining the disciplines of physical chemistry and atomic/molecular physics. Includes instruction in heterogeneous structures, alignment and surface phenomena, quantum theory,

mathematical physics Mathematical physics is the development of mathematics, mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The ''Journal of Mathematical Physics'' defines the field as "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the de ...

statistical Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a s ...

and classical mechanics,

chemical kinetics Chemical kinetics, also known as reaction kinetics, is the branch of physical chemistry that is concerned with understanding the rates of chemical reactions. It is different from chemical thermodynamics, which deals with the direction in which a ...

, and

laser physics Laser science or laser physics is a branch of optics that describes the theory and practice of lasers. Laser science is principally concerned with quantum electronics, laser construction, optical cavity design, the physics of producing a po ...

Distinction between chemical physics and physical chemistry

While at the interface of physics and chemistry, chemical physics is distinct from

physical chemistry Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and concepts of physics such as motion, energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, statistical mech ...

as it focuses more on using physical theories to understand and explain chemical phenomena at the microscopic level, such as quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and molecular dynamics. Meanwhile, physical chemistry uses a broader range of methods, such as thermodynamics and kinetics, to study the physical nature of chemical processes. On the other hand, physical chemistry deals with the physical properties and behavior of matter in chemical reactions, covering a broader range of topics such as

thermodynamics Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, Work (thermodynamics), work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed b ...

kinetics Kinetics (, ''movement'' or ''to move'') may refer to: Science and medicine * Kinetics (physics), the study of motion and its causes ** Rigid body kinetics, the study of the motion of rigid bodies * Chemical kinetics, the study of chemical ...

, and

spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectro ...

, and often links the macroscopic and microscopic chemical behavior. The distinction between the two fields still needs to be clarified as both fields share common grounds. Scientists often practice in both fields during their research, as there is significant overlap in the topics and techniques used. Journals like PCCP (

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics ''Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics'' is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing research and review articles on any aspect of physical chemistry, chemical physics, and biophysical chemistry. It is published by the Royal Society of ...

) cover research in both areas, highlighting their overlap.

History

The term "chemical physics" in its modern sense was first used by the German scientist A. Eucken, who published "A Course in Chemical Physics" in 1930. Prior to this, in 1927, the publication "Electronic Chemistry" by V. N. Kondrat'ev, N. N. Semenov, and Iu. B. Khariton hinted at the meaning of "chemical physics" through its title. The Institute of Chemical Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR was established in 1931. In the United States, "

The Journal of Chemical Physics ''The Journal of Chemical Physics'' is a scientific journal published by the American Institute of Physics that carries research papers on chemical physics.Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics to honor outstanding achievements in the field of chemical physics. Named after the Nobel Laureate

Irving Langmuir Irving Langmuir (; January 31, 1881 – August 16, 1957) was an American chemist, physicist, and metallurgical engineer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1932 for his work in surface chemistry. Langmuir's most famous publicatio ...

, the award recognizes significant contributions to understanding chemical phenomena through physics principles, impacting areas such as surface chemistry and quantum mechanics.

What chemical physicists do

Chemical physicists investigate the structure and dynamics of

ions An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

free radical A daughter category of ''Ageing'', this category deals only with the biological aspects of ageing. Ageing Biogerontology Biological processes Causes of death Cellular processes Gerontology Life extension Metabolic disorders Metabolism ...

polymer A polymer () is a chemical substance, substance or material that consists of very large molecules, or macromolecules, that are constituted by many repeat unit, repeating subunits derived from one or more species of monomers. Due to their br ...

clusters may refer to: Science and technology Astronomy * Cluster (spacecraft), constellation of four European Space Agency spacecraft * Cluster II (spacecraft), a European Space Agency mission to study the magnetosphere * Asteroid cluster, a small ...

, and

molecule A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by Force, attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemi ...

s. Their research includes studying the quantum mechanical aspects of chemical reactions, solvation processes, and the energy flow within and between molecules, and nanomaterials such as quantum dots. Experiments in chemical physics typically involve using spectroscopic methods to understand

hydrogen bonding In chemistry, a hydrogen bond (H-bond) is a specific type of molecular interaction that exhibits partial covalent character and cannot be described as a purely electrostatic force. It occurs when a hydrogen (H) atom, Covalent bond, covalently b ...

electron transfer Electron transfer (ET) occurs when an electron relocates from an atom, ion, or molecule, to another such chemical entity. ET describes the mechanism by which electrons are transferred in redox reactions. Electrochemical processes are ET reactio ...

, the formation and dissolution of

chemical bond A chemical bond is the association of atoms or ions to form molecules, crystals, and other structures. The bond may result from the electrostatic force between oppositely charged ions as in ionic bonds or through the sharing of electrons a ...

s, chemical reactions, and the formation of

nanoparticle A nanoparticle or ultrafine particle is a particle of matter 1 to 100 nanometres (nm) in diameter. The term is sometimes used for larger particles, up to 500 nm, or fibers and tubes that are less than 100 nm in only two directions. At ...

s. The research objectives in the theoretical aspect of chemical physics are to understand how chemical structures and reactions work at the quantum mechanical level. This field also aims to clarify how ions and radicals behave and react in the gas phase and to develop precise approximations that simplify the computation of the physics of chemical phenomena. Chemical physicists are looking for answers to such questions as: * Can we experimentally test quantum mechanical predictions of the vibrations and rotations of simple molecules? Or even those of complex molecules (such as

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

s)? *Can we develop more accurate methods for calculating the electronic structure and properties of molecules? * Can we understand chemical reactions from first principles? * Why do quantum dots start

blinking Blinking is a bodily function; it is a semi-autonomic rapid closing of the eyelid. A single blink is determined by the forceful closing of the eyelid or inactivation of the levator palpebrae superioris and the activation of the palpebral por ...

(in a pattern suggesting

fractal In mathematics, a fractal is a Shape, geometric shape containing detailed structure at arbitrarily small scales, usually having a fractal dimension strictly exceeding the topological dimension. Many fractals appear similar at various scale ...

) after absorbing

photon A photon () is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. Photons are massless particles that can ...

s? * How do chemical reactions really take place? * What is the step-by-step process that occurs when an isolated molecule becomes solvated? Or when a whole ensemble of molecules becomes solvated? * Can we use the properties of negative ions to determine molecular structures, understand the dynamics of chemical reactions, or explain

photodissociation Photodissociation, photolysis, photodecomposition, or photofragmentation is a chemical reaction in which molecules of a chemical compound are broken down by absorption of light or photons. It is defined as the interaction of one or more photons wi ...

? * Why does a stream of

soft x-ray An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...

s knock enough

electron The electron (, or in nuclear reactions) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary charge, elementary electric charge. It is a fundamental particle that comprises the ordinary matter that makes up the universe, along with up qua ...

s out of the

atom Atoms are the basic particles of the chemical elements. An atom consists of a atomic nucleus, nucleus of protons and generally neutrons, surrounded by an electromagnetically bound swarm of electrons. The chemical elements are distinguished fr ...

s in a

xenon Xenon is a chemical element; it has symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, it can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the ...

cluster to cause the cluster to explode?

Journals

* ''

The Journal of Chemical Physics ''The Journal of Chemical Physics'' is a scientific journal published by the American Institute of Physics that carries research papers on chemical physics.Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters ''The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Chemical Society. The editor-in-chief is Gregory D. Scholes at Princeton University. The ''Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters'' cove ...

'' * ''

Journal of Physical Chemistry A ''The Journal of Physical Chemistry A'' is a scientific journal which reports research on the chemistry of molecules - including their dynamics, spectroscopy, kinetics, structure, bonding, and quantum chemistry. It is published weekly by the Ame ...

'' * ''

Journal of Physical Chemistry B ''The Journal of Physical Chemistry B'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers research on several fields of material chemistry (macromolecules, soft matter, and surfactants) as well as statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and biophys ...

'' * '' Journal of Physical Chemistry C'' * ''

'' * ''

Chemical Physics Letters ''Chemical Physics Letters'' is a biweekly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in chemical physics and physical chemistry. It was established in 1967 and is published by Elsevier. The editors-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also ...

'' *
Chemical Physics
' * ''

ChemPhysChem ''ChemPhysChem'' is a biweekly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Wiley-VCH on behalf of Chemistry Europe. It was established in 2000 and covers all aspects of chemical physics and physical chemistry. Initially published monthly, the jou ...

'' * ''

Molecular Physics (journal) ''Molecular Physics'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on the interface between chemistry and physics, in particular chemical physics and physical chemistry. It covers both theoretical and experimental molecular science, incl ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chemical Physics Subfields of chemistry Applied and interdisciplinary physics

Distinction between chemical physics and physical chemistry

History

What chemical physicists do

Journals

See also

References