Physical Chemistry Third Edition

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Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics.

II. Statistical Thermodynamics

PRINCIPAL FACTS AND IDEAS

1. Equilibrium thermodynamic variables of a dilute gas can be expressed in
   terms of the molecular partition function.


2. Explicit formulas can be derived for molecular partition functions for
   dilute gases, providing explicit formulas for thermodynamic functions.


3. Equilibrium constants for chemical reactions in dilute gases can be
   calculated theoretically from molecular partition functions.


4. The activated complex theory of reaction rates in dilute gas mixtures is
   based on the statistical mechanical theory of chemical equilibrium.

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