Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics

Catalog description

This course presents the statistical description of the macroscopic states of classical and quantum systems, including conditions for equilibrium, the microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles, and Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac, and Maxwell Boltzmann statistics. The statistical basis of classical thermodynamics is investigated. Examples and applications are drawn from solid state physics, low temperature physics, atomic and molecular physics, electromagnetic waves, and cosmology. Prerequisite: PHYS B214 or H214. Corequisite: PHYS B306 or B207 or H213. Lecture three hours and additional recitation sessions as needed.