The exceptional quality of previous editions has been built upon to make the twelfth edition of Atkins' Physical Chemistry even more closely suited to the needs of both lecturers and students. The writing style has been refreshed in collaboration with current students of physical chemistry in order to retain the clarity for which the book is recognized while mirroring the way that students read and engage with information.

The new edition is now available as an enhanced e-Book, which offers a richer, more dynamic learning experience. It does this by incorporating digital enhancements that are carefully curated and thoughtfully inserted at meaningful points to enhance the learning experience. In addition, it offers formative auto-graded assessment materials to provide students with regular opportunities to test their understanding.

Digital enhancements introduced for the new edition include dynamic graphs, which students can interact with to explore how the manipulation of variables affects the results of the graphs; self-check questions at the end of every "Topic"; video content from physical chemists; and video tutorials to accompany the "Focus" features, which dig deeper into the key equations introduced. There is also a new foundational prologue entitled "Energy: A First Look," which summarizes key concepts that are best kept in mind right from the beginning of physical chemistry studies.

The coupling of the broad coverage of the subject with a structure and use of pedagogy that is even more innovative will ensure that Atkins' Physical Chemistry remains the textbook of choice for studying physical chemistry.