内容简介

When teaching chemical kinetics to successive cohorts of undergraduates I have often wished that there existed an inexpensive textbook possessing all the conceivable virtues. It should, as far as possible, treat all aspects of kinetics, rather than leave important topics unmentioned. It should do justice to both experiment and theory, putting the role of each in context. It should explain concepts in ways that students might be expected to understand, aiming for the merits of lucidity and simplicity rather than for excessive erudition.
In December 1993, I was invited to prepare my own undergraduate text on kinetics. In doing this I have started at the beginning since I believe that many difficulties about kinetics are derived from an incomplete understanding of the basics. Technological advances have resulted in the widespread use of many kinetic techniques, not merely by physical chemists, but by organic (and not simply physical organic) chemists, inorganic chemists and biochemists. A growing proportion of the ever-expanding chemicalN literature contains some kinetic component. For all such workers, the fundamentals of the subject are vitally important. To avoid too large a compendium, in regard to various aspects I have had to make my selection. In so doing, my central aim has been to illustrate the principles involved.