Introduction to Physical Chemistry by The University of Manchester

Rather than teaching chemistry in general, The University of Manchester's Coursera class focuses on physical chemistry to help first-year undergraduate students with their studies.

Chemical reactions are at the heart of almost everything in our modern world. But what is the motivating factor behind reactions? Why do some reactions occur over geological time scales while others occur so quickly that femtosecond-pulsed lasers are required to study them? Finally, what is happening at the atomic level? Discover the answers to these and other fundamental questions in this Introduction to Physical Chemistry course.

The course introduces the fundamental concepts of three major topics in first-year undergraduate physical chemistry: thermodynamics, kinetics, and quantum mechanics. These three topics address whether or not reactions occur, how fast they occur, and what happens at the subatomic scale.

The course is completely online, free, and includes a certificate of completion for $49. The course does not provide university credit, but students should check with their school to see if they accept course certificates for credit. Students will be ready for their first-year physical chemistry exams by the end of the course.

• Pros:
  • Flexible deadlines
  • Includes virtual labs
• Cons:
  • The certificate costs an additional $49
• Price:
  • Free
  • $49 for certificate
• Institution: The University of Manchester
• Time to complete: 19 hours
• Prerequisites required: None
• Flexible schedule: Yes
• Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
• Who should take this course? First-year undergraduate physical chemistry students will benefit most from the topics covered in this course.
• Enroll here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/physical-chemistry