Statistical Mechanics (U01357)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 9 ? Acronym : PHY-3-StatMech

This course provides an introduction to the microscopic formulation of thermal physics, generally known as statistical mechanics. We explore the general principles, from which emerge an understanding of the microscopic significance of entropy and temperature. We develop the machinery needed to form a practical tool linking microscopic models of many-particle systems with measurable quantities. We consider a range of applications to simple models of crystalline solids, classical gases, quantum gases and blackbody radiation.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Physics 2B: Waves, Quantum Physics and Materials (PHY-2-B); Foundations of Mathematical Physics (PHY-2-FoMP) or Principles of Mathematical Physics (PHY-2-PoMP).

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Undergraduate (School of Physics), (School of Physics, Schedule Q)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 3 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
08/01/2008	09:00	10:00	Lecture Theatre B, JCMB	KB

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	09:00	09:50	KB
Lecture	Friday	09:00	09:50	KB

? Additional Class Information : Workshop/tutorial sessions, as arranged.

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course a student should be able to:
1)define and discuss the concepts of microstate and macrostate of a model system
2)define and discuss the concepts and roles of entropy and free energy from the view point of statistical mechanics
3)define and discuss the Boltdsmann distribution and the role of the partition function
4)apply the machinery of statistical mechanics to the calculation of macroscopic properties resulting from microscopic models of magnetic and crystalline systems
5)discuss the concept and role of indistinguishability in the theory of gases; know the results expected from classical considerations and when these should be recovered
6)define the Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions; state where they are applicable; understand how they differ and show when they reduce to the Boltsman
distribution
7)apply the Fermi-Dirac distribution to the calculation of thermal properties of elctrons in metals
8)apply the Bose-Einstein distribution to the calculation of properties of black body radiation