Award-Winning Physical Chemistry Tutors

America's #1 Tutoring Platform

Who needs tutoring?

FOXNBCCBSUS NewsTIMEUSA Today

TUTORS FROM

  • YaleUniversity
  • PrincetonUniversity
  • StanfordUniversity
  • CornellUniversity

Award-Winning Physical Chemistry Tutors

Jonathan

Certified Tutor

14+ years

Jonathan

PHD, Chemical Engineering
Jonathan's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Linear Algebra

I am currently a graduate student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware. I am working on using magnetic and flow fields to create advanced materials by directing the self-assembly process of nanoparticles . I have tutored students in Chemistry, Physics and Math all throughout undergr...

Education

University of Delaware

PHD, Chemical Engineering

University of Michigan

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering

Test Scores
ACT
34
Drisana

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Drisana

Current Grad Student, Mathematics
Drisana's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
Statistics Graduate Level
Pre-Algebra
Finite Mathematics

An applied mathematics degree plus active graduate math coursework gives Drisana the calculus fluency that p-chem demands — she's comfortable with the differential equations, multivariable integrals, and linear algebra that show up in everything from quantum mechanical wave functions to statistical ...

Education

Harvard University

Bachelor in Arts, Applied Mathematics

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Current Grad Student, Mathematics

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1600

Certified Tutor

Tom

PHD, Biophysical Chemistry
Tom's other Tutor Subjects
10th-12th Grade Math
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
College Algebra

A PhD in biophysical chemistry means Tom didn't just survive p-chem — he built a research career on it, working at the intersection of thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and molecular behavior where the math has to be airtight. He treats the subject like a language students need to actively speak: d...

Education

Stanford University

PHD, Biophysical Chemistry

Rice University

Bachelor in Arts

Certified Tutor

14+ years

Garrett

Bachelor in Arts
Garrett's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Physiology
Physics

Garrett's biology degree means he already thinks in terms of systems — enzyme kinetics, membrane potentials, metabolic energy flow — which gives him a concrete anchor for the abstract math that makes p-chem so intimidating. He teaches thermodynamic and kinetic concepts by connecting derivations to t...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelor in Arts

Test Scores
SAT
1530

Certified Tutor

Abismael

Bachelors
Abismael's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4

Thermodynamic state functions, quantum mechanical models, and kinetic rate laws all converge in Physical Chemistry, and most students need someone who can bridge the math and the chemistry simultaneously. Abismael's chemical engineering training put him through the full gauntlet — partial differenti...

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Bachelors

Test Scores
SAT
1470

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Allyson

Master of Science, Biomedical Engineering
Allyson's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Engineering
AP Chemistry

Two biomedical engineering degrees mean Allyson has been doing the calculus-heavy thermodynamics and kinetics work that p-chem formalizes — modeling energy transfer in biological systems, working through rate equations for physiological processes — since undergrad. She zeroes in on the specific math...

Education

Syracuse University

Master of Science, Biomedical Engineering

Syracuse University

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering

Test Scores
ACT
33

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Alec

Bachelor of Science
Alec's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Physics
Physical Chemistry

Cornell's biological sciences curriculum put Alec through rigorous quantitative coursework, but it was his TA experience in general chemistry — running problem-solving sessions where students had to wrestle with energy, equilibrium, and rate laws — that sharpened his instinct for where p-chem concep...

Education

Cornell University

Bachelor of Science

Test Scores
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Steven

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering
Steven's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Multivariable Calculus
Trigonometry

Decades as a PhD chemical engineer meant Steven was solving Clausius-Clapeyron problems, reaction kinetics models, and energy balance derivations long before they were textbook exercises — they were daily work. He breaks down p-chem's toughest material by explaining a concept one way, re-explaining ...

Education

University of Waterloo

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering

Certified Tutor

Natasha

Bachelor of Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Natasha's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Finite Mathematics
College Algebra

Thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, kinetics — physical chemistry is where math and chemistry collide, and most students need a tutor comfortable in both languages. Natasha's chemical engineering degree gave her deep fluency with partition functions, phase diagrams, and rate laws, and her MIT graduat...

Education

Johns Hopkins University

Bachelor of Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Test Scores
SAT
1500

Certified Tutor

15+ years

Ade

Bachelors
Ade's other Tutor Subjects
College Algebra
Trigonometry
Statistics
Pre-Calculus

Biology coursework builds a surprising amount of p-chem intuition — enzyme kinetics, membrane energetics, and metabolic thermodynamics all run on the same free energy and rate equations that dominate a physical chemistry sequence. Ade uses that biological grounding to make abstract derivations tangi...

Education

Yale University

Bachelors

Test Scores
SAT
1510
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Eitan

Bachelor of Science, Physics
Eitan's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Trigonometry
Geometry

A physics degree means Eitan spent years inside the quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics that p-chem courses formalize on the chemistry side — Schrödinger's equation, Boltzmann statistics, and state functions are native territory rather than new abstractions. He teaches the d...

Education

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Bachelor of Science, Physics

Test Scores
SAT
1430
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Jacob

Doctor of Philosophy, Physical Chemistry
Jacob's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
AP Chemistry
Biochemistry

This is Jacob's home turf. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from UC Berkeley and now conducts research at Northwestern, so topics like quantum mechanics, statistical thermodynamics, and spectroscopy are part of his everyday work. He walks students through the math-heavy derivations that mak...

Education

Haverford College

Bachelor of Science, Chemistry

University of California-Berkeley

Doctor of Philosophy, Physical Chemistry

Test Scores
SAT
1510
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

7+ years

Andrew

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Andrew's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Geometry
Calculus

I am pursuing a career in dentistry/oral surgery and will be beginning dental school at Boston University this fall. For this reason I recently took the DAT, which I am capable of assisting you with as well. During my undergraduate education, which I completed this past December, I worked in my scho...

Education

The College of New Jersey

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

Test Scores
SAT
1440
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Maria

PHD, Chemistry
Maria's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Physical Chemistry
Chemistry

Eight years as a chemistry professor at Trinity College meant Maria taught p-chem repeatedly — not just lecturing on thermodynamic state functions and quantum mechanical models, but sitting with students in office hours untangling the specific derivation step where they got lost. That Ph.D.-level co...

Education

University of Chicago

PHD, Chemistry

Swarthmore College

Bachelors, Chemistry

Certified Tutor

Alex

Bachelor of Science, Bio-Organic Chemistry
Alex's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Inorganic Chemistry
Biochemistry

A bio-organic chemistry degree means Alex spent serious time with thermodynamic cycles, kinetics derivations, and the quantum mechanical underpinnings of molecular behavior — the core of any p-chem course. He approaches the subject by tying each derivation back to the organic and biochemical systems...

Education

Mcgill University

Bachelor of Science, Bio-Organic Chemistry

Meet Varsity Tutors Experts

Connect with highly-rated educators ready to help you succeed.

Eitan

AP Calculus BC Tutor • +32 Subjects

A physics degree means Eitan spent years inside the quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics that p-chem courses formalize on the chemistry side — Schrödinger's equation, Boltzmann statistics, and state functions are native territory rather than new abstractions. He teaches the derivations by clarifying the physical picture each equation encodes, so a student wrestling with a partition function or a Carnot cycle can see the molecular behavior driving every calculus step. Holds a 5.0 rating.

View Profile

Jacob

Calculus Tutor • +27 Subjects

This is Jacob's home turf. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from UC Berkeley and now conducts research at Northwestern, so topics like quantum mechanics, statistical thermodynamics, and spectroscopy are part of his everyday work. He walks students through the math-heavy derivations that make p-chem notoriously difficult, connecting each equation back to the physical picture it describes.

View Profile

Andrew

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +40 Subjects

I am pursuing a career in dentistry/oral surgery and will be beginning dental school at Boston University this fall. For this reason I recently took the DAT, which I am capable of assisting you with as well. During my undergraduate education, which I completed this past December, I worked in my school's tutoring center, helping my peers succeed in mathematics and science courses. Outside of my academic life, I am a big sports fan and I mostly follow the New York sports teams. For fun, I like to play basketball and golf with my friends. I am looking forward towards getting to know you and helping you with your academic needs. Hobbies: art, books, sports, reading, music, writing

View Profile

Maria

Calculus Tutor • +15 Subjects

Eight years as a chemistry professor at Trinity College meant Maria taught p-chem repeatedly — not just lecturing on thermodynamic state functions and quantum mechanical models, but sitting with students in office hours untangling the specific derivation step where they got lost. That Ph.D.-level command of the subject, combined with a 5.0 rating, reflects someone who knows exactly which Maxwell relation or partition function integral is about to cause trouble and can rework it on the spot.

View Profile

Alex

Calculus Tutor • +23 Subjects

A bio-organic chemistry degree means Alex spent serious time with thermodynamic cycles, kinetics derivations, and the quantum mechanical underpinnings of molecular behavior — the core of any p-chem course. He approaches the subject by tying each derivation back to the organic and biochemical systems students already recognize, so an intimidating equation like the Arrhenius expression becomes a story about why reactions speed up at the molecular level.

View Profile

Sugi

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +54 Subjects

Studying biochemistry and cell biology at Rice means Sugi already had to internalize the thermodynamic and kinetic principles that drive cellular processes — free energy calculations for metabolic reactions, equilibrium constants governing binding events — before tackling them in their pure mathematical form. She unpacks p-chem derivations by linking each variable back to the molecular behavior it quantifies, turning something like a chemical potential expression into a description of what molecules are actually doing at a phase boundary. Rated 5.0 by students.

View Profile

Kathleen

Calculus Tutor • +30 Subjects

Teaching high school chemistry daily means Kathleen regularly translates thermodynamic concepts like enthalpy, entropy, and equilibrium into language that clicks — a skill that carries directly into the more calculus-heavy treatment those same ideas get in a p-chem course. Her M.S.Ed from Penn and chemistry degree give her both the content depth and the instinct for spotting exactly where a derivation stops making sense to a student. Rated 5.0 by students.

View Profile

Abrahim

Middle School Math Tutor • +81 Subjects

Medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin means Abrahim encounters p-chem's core concepts daily — reaction kinetics in pharmacology, thermodynamic energy balances in physiology, and the quantum mechanical principles behind spectroscopic diagnostics. His UCLA biology degree and 34 ACT demonstrate the mathematical fluency needed to work through derivations involving state functions, equilibrium constants, and entropy calculations without losing sight of what the chemistry actually describes. Rated 5.0 by students.

View Profile

Rahul

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +34 Subjects

Cornell's chemical engineering curriculum puts you through p-chem at an intense pace — Rahul graduated magna cum laude, which means he didn't just survive thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and kinetics but internalized the reasoning behind each derivation. He pushes past rote symbol manipulation to make sure students can articulate why a particular state function applies or what a phase boundary physically represents. Rated 4.9 by students.

View Profile

Andrew

AP Calculus BC Tutor • +51 Subjects

Biochemistry lab work and a dual bachelor's in arts and biochemistry mean Andrew has already applied the thermodynamics, kinetics, and quantum mechanical concepts that make p-chem brutal — calculating free energy changes in enzyme systems, modeling reaction rates at the molecular level. He unpacks the heavy calculus in derivations by keeping one foot in the real chemistry, so a partition function or a phase diagram reads as a description of molecular behavior rather than an exercise in pure math. Rated 4.9 by students.

View Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Physical Chemistry sits at the intersection of chemistry and physics, requiring students to master abstract concepts like thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and kinetics while also handling rigorous mathematical problem-solving. Many students struggle with visualizing molecular-level phenomena and connecting equations to real chemical behavior. The combination of conceptual difficulty, mathematical intensity, and the need to apply multiple problem-solving approaches makes it one of the most demanding chemistry courses.

A strong Physical Chemistry tutor breaks down abstract concepts like entropy, enthalpy, and reaction rates by connecting them to observable phenomena and real-world examples. Rather than simply memorizing formulas, tutors help you understand why equations work the way they do, how to set up problems strategically, and how to recognize which principles apply to different scenarios. This deeper understanding makes it easier to tackle unfamiliar problems on exams and in labs.

Unit conversions and dimensional analysis are critical tools in Physical Chemistry, but many students rush through them or treat them as busywork. The key is learning to use dimensional analysis as a problem-solving strategy—it helps you set up complex calculations correctly and catch errors before they snowball. A tutor can help you develop systematic approaches to these conversions, practice with varied problem types, and build confidence so you can use dimensional analysis as a safety check rather than a source of anxiety.

Physical Chemistry labs give you hands-on experience with the abstract concepts you're studying—measuring reaction rates, observing phase changes, or collecting calorimetry data makes thermodynamic principles tangible. A tutor can help you understand the purpose of each experiment, predict expected outcomes based on theory, interpret your results critically, and write clear lab reports that demonstrate both technical skills and conceptual understanding. This bridges the gap between equations and real chemistry.

Most Physical Chemistry courses require significant out-of-class time—typically 10-15 hours per week for solid understanding, including problem sets, lab preparation, and review. The depth of material and problem-solving demands mean that passive reading isn't enough; you need active practice with diverse problem types and frequent review of concepts. Working with a tutor can make this time more efficient by helping you focus on high-impact activities, identify gaps quickly, and develop effective study strategies tailored to how you learn best.

An effective Physical Chemistry tutor combines deep subject knowledge with strong teaching ability—they should be able to explain why concepts matter, break complex ideas into manageable pieces, and guide you through problem-solving without just giving you answers. Look for someone who can help you visualize abstract phenomena (using analogies, diagrams, or simulations), diagnose the root of your confusion, and adapt explanations to your learning style. The best tutors also help you build test-taking strategies and scientific reasoning skills, not just memorize formulas.

Yes—tutoring is particularly valuable for targeted exam preparation. A tutor can identify which concepts are holding you back (perhaps quantum mechanics or statistical mechanics), explain them from a different angle than your textbook or professor, and give you targeted practice with exam-style problems. Working through past exams together also reveals patterns in question types and helps you develop strategies for approaching unfamiliar problems under time pressure, which is where many students falter in Physical Chemistry.

Connect with Physical Chemistry Tutors

Get matched with expert tutors in your subject