It is sometimes said that the year of birth of physical chemistry was 1887. In that year the journal Zeitschrift für physikalische Chemie - the first journal devoted exclusively to physical chemistry - was launched and in its first year published important papers by Arrhenius and van't Hoff. However, a good deal of physical chemistry had been done previously. Two centuries earlier Robert Boyle had been carrying out physico-chemical investigations, and a good case can be made for regarding him as the first physical chemist. His approach to chemistry had a great influence on others, including Isaac Newton. In the eighteenth century Joseph Black and Antoine Lavoisier also did much that can be classed as physical chemistry. In the nineteenth century Robert Bunsen, Michael Farraday, and many others were contributing to the development of the subject. In this book Professor Laidler gives an account of the scientific development of Physical Chemistry over the years. He begins by discussing just what physical chemistry is, and how it relates to other sciences. He considers some of the difficulties faced by early investigators, as a result of attitudes of the churches, governments, and even the universities which at first were mainly interested in classical studies. Some account is also given of the way in which physical scientists have communicated with each other. Classical mechanics, and the modifications that had to be made to it, are briefly considered. The bulk of the book is concerned with the main branches of physical chemistry - thermodynamics, kinetic theory, statistical mechanics, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, kinetics, colloid and surface chemistry, and quantum chemistry - and how these subjects have developed up to the present time.

Keith J. Laidler's profile page

Keith J. Laidler is at University of Ottawa.

'This is quite a remarkable book ... As a source of information on the history of physical chemistry this book is a gold mine, and an enormous credit to its author.' W.A.E. McBryde, University of Waterloo, CHEM 13 NEWS, October 1994

'enjoyable and informative ... a resource book which teachers, lecturers and researchers could dip into regularly with profit' John Jenkin, La Trobe University, Chemistry in Australia, May 1994

'Keith Laidler is a distinguished physical chemist who has also published valuable papers on the history of the subject. His book takes an important step towards a fuller understanding of the discipline's development.' Times Higher Education Supplement

'valuable contributions to the history of physical chemistry ... the book does have a number of virtues ... It brings together a substantial body of information which will be essential for any future historians of this subject-area. Its exposition ... is lucid, of a high standard of factual accuracy, and often witty. It is certainly worth its place on any university library's history of science shelves.' Michael A. Sutton, University of Nottingham, Ambix, Journal of the Society for History of Alchemy and Chemistry, Vol. 41, July 1994

'Laidler has done an excellent job in featuring prominent figures ... This book is ideal for anybody interested in physical chemistry and should be found on the bookshelves of all who ever teach this subject. The students will be grateful and the reader will have had an enjoyable read!' Helen P. Graves Smith, National Museum of Science and Technology, Canadian Chemical News, April 1996

'Even nonspecialist readers will find much to enjoy in the first chapter which explores the broad sweep of the subject and looks at the impressive contributions that it has made at the interface of pure research and technology ... carefully researched and scholarly volume ... Laidler has provided a masterly survey of the field, which will help to put the record straight in many backwaters of the subject and in not a few estuaries too.' Peter Atkins, Lincoln College, Oxford, Nature, Vol. 365, October 1993

'Its appearance is to be warmly welcomed, as its reasonable price makes it accessible to a much larger audience. This book has clearly been written primarily for fellow scientists and aims to provide an insight into how the main themes in physical chemistry have developed. Thus it will make a good companion for physical chemists, and will be read with enjoyment by practitioners and students alike.' John Hudson, Chemistry and Industry, 9/96

'it is refreshing to read a book covering the generalities of physical chemistry ... The use of modern terms will make for easier understanding by the reader ... The historical aspects are well researched and the book is very extensively referenced ... substantial use has been made of the Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Many of the biographies make fascinating reading. Keith Laidler has made a unique and useful contribution to the literature of physical chemistry and I hope that the book will be read widely by physical chemists, chemistry teachers, students and scientific historians.' J. Lee, J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans., 1994, Vol. 90

'This is one of those rare books, a privilege to review. that within minutes of opening you realise is written with authority, enthusiasm, insight, and great style - in short a book you will enjoy and treasure. This scholarly work will surely become a classic and I highly recommend it for individual purchase by all serious chemists, teachers and students for edification and pleasure.' D. Thorburn Burns, Chemistry in Britain

the World of Physical Chemistry by Keith J Laidler was an absolute joy to read, and I made great use of numerous excerpts from this book in teaching my undergraduate physical chemistry course ... a book that shows the beauty of this field of study and the wealth of human talent that went into the progressive development of physical chemistry. I would highly recommend this work for anyone who teaches physical chemistry ... This work, unlike most physical chemistry books, could easily be nighttime reading and was, in fact, my nighttime reading for many enjoyable evenings.