ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the concept of physicochemical characterization and its application to chemical substances. Physicochemical characterization will be focused on molecules and particulate systems and their interaction with and distribution within biotic and abiotic systems. The induced dipole–induced dipole interaction between nonpolar molecules is typically higher than the interaction between polar and nonpolar molecules, explaining immiscibility and providing one of key components of the hydrophobic force pertinent to particulates systems. The origins of physicochemical properties in molecules and particles are highlighted from a materials interaction perspective. Quantum-mechanical interactions give rise to the covalent bonding and charge transfer interactions. They also lay the basis for steric repulsion via Pauli's exclusion principle. Although the theory of quantum mechanics has been applied to describe or predict longer range electrostatic and polarization interactions those longer-range phenomena are treated as being distinct interactions.
