Quantum first , order physical chemistry course

I review the difficulties and opportunities that we need to consider when developing physical chemistry courses. I begin with a comparison of the structure of courses in the USA and the UK, then turn to the question of the order of the course quantum first or thermodynamics first 1 then consider the impact of biology on our courses and then turn to the role of multimedia and graphics. I conclude with an attempt to identify the key equations of physical chemistry. 

Arguments for the presentation of kinetic theory and chemical kinetics as the first topics taught in the initial physical chemistry course are presented. This presentation allows the first topic in physical chemistry to be mathematically more accessible, to be highly relevant to modem physical chemistry practice, and to provide an opportunity to make valuable conceptual connections to topics in quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. Preliminary results from a recent survey of physical chemistry teaching practice are presented and related to the primary discussion. It was found that few departments of chemistry have adopted this order of topical presentation. 

Teaching quantum mechanics first in physical chemistry gives the properly prepared and motivated student a presentation that best represents the most active areas of physical chemistry research. A thermodynamics first approach remains most consistent with the order found in most currently used textbooks avoiding the disorientation associated with skipping around in the textbook early in the course. However, we believe that a large segment of the chemistry major... 

The first question that comes to mind when considering the structure of a course in physical chemistry is its order. Broadly speaking, there are the camps inhabited by thermodynamics first (T-first) and those inhabited by quantum first (Q-first). I shall set out what I see as the advantages of each approach. 

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