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Statistical Physics I >> Content Detail



Study Materials



Readings

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Listed in the table below are reading assignments for each lecture session.

A and B refer to the course textbooks:

A: Amazon logo Adkins, C.J. Equilibrium Thermodynamics. New York City, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1983. ISBN: 9780521274562.

B: Amazon logo Baierlein, Ralph. Thermal Physics. New York City, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1999. ISBN: 9780521658386.

The rest of the readings, listed as P, TS, ME, IA, MR, and CE, are from the notes available in Study Materials.

LEC #TOPICSKEY DATES
1Introduction
Probability density, Cumulative probability
P: One Random Variable (1st half)
2Probability examples, Averages, Poisson distributionP: One Random Variable (2nd half)
3Two random variables, Conditional probabilityP: Two Random Variables (1st half)
4Poisson distribution derived, jointly Gaussian random variablesP: Two Random Variables (2nd half)
5Functions of a Random VariableP: Functions of a Random Variable (1st half)
6Functions of a Random Variable (more than one)P: Functions of a Random Variable (2nd half)
7Summation and convolutionP: Sums of Random Variables
8Central Limit TheoremP: Central Limit Theorem
9Introduction to Thermodynamics, Zeroth Law, Empirical temperatureA: Ch. 1, 2
TS: pg. 1-3
10Temperature scale, WorkA: Ch. 1, 2
11Exact differentials, First Law of ThermodynamicsA: Ch. 3.1-3.6
12Ideal gas, Adiabatic pathB: Ch. 1
13Phase space, Equal a priori probabilities
14Microcanonical Ensemble, EntropyB: Ch. 2, 4.3
ME: Sections 1-3
15Second Law of Thermodynamics, Examples using entropyB: Ch 2. 4.3
ME: Sections 4-6
16Two level systemME: Section 7
17Entropy as a state function
18Maxwell relations, Thermodynamic potentialsA: Ch. 7
MR: pg. 1-5
19Equivalent statements of the Second Law, Carnot EngineB: Ch. 3
20Refrigerator, Heat pump, Other examplesA: Ch. 4
CE: pg. 1-4
21Canonical Ensemble, Boltzmann probability, Partition functionB: Ch. 5.1-5.2
22Monoatomic ideal gas calculationB: Ch. 5.4-5.8
23B: Ch. 5.2
24Equipartition, Polyatomic gas, Vibration & quantum harmonic oscillatorB: Ch. 13
25Finish harmonic oscillator, Molecular rotationsB: Ch. 13
26Finish rotations, Maxwell distributionB: Ch. 13
27ParamagnetismB: Ch. 5.2, 14.1-14.3
28Adiabatic demagnetism, 3rd Law of Thermodynamics, Thermal radiationB: Ch. 14.4, 6
29Blackbody thermodynamics, Stephan-Boltzmann Law, Counting ModesB: Ch. 6
30Classical and quantum blackbody u (ω,T)B: Ch. 6
31Chemical potentialB: Ch. 7
32Indistinguishable particles, Symmetric vs. antisymmetricB: Ch. 8
33Occupation number, Fermi gasB: Ch. 8
34Fermi gas IIB: Ch. 9
35Neutron starB: Ch. 9
36Bose-Einstein CondensationB: Ch. 9
37Finish Bose-Einstein Condensation, SummaryB: Ch. 9
Final Exam

 








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