The chapters in this section deal with the rates and mechanism of chemical change. These topics stand in contrast to the subjects of equilibrium and thermodynamics that control the direction of chemical change.

The Chem1 Virtual Textbook is a resource for General Chemistry aimed mainly at the first-year university level. It offers a more comprehensive, organized, and measured approach than is found in most standard textbooks. It should also be accessible to advanced high-school courses, and helpful as review material for students in more advanced courses in chemistry, biology, geology, and engineering.