PHYS1530
Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics [ Course Website ]
* Thermal physics: energy, temperature, ideal gases, equipartition and the first law. Statistical definition of entropy and the second law. Applications to paramagnets, Einstein solids, gases, combustion engines, refrigerators.
* Boltzmann Statistics: application to ideal gas, Brownian motion, transport theory.
* Phase transitions: conditions for equilibrium, phase diagrams, Clapeyron-Clausius equation, critical points, Van der Waals theory, chemical reactions.
* Quantum statistics: bosons and fermions, blackbody radiation, Fermi liquid, Debye theory of solids, Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity.
Required textbook: Thermal Physics, Ralph Baierlein (Cambridge University Press)
Other references:
Thermal Physics, Charles Kittel and Herbert Kroemer (2nd Ed.)
Introduction to Statistical Physics, Kerson Huang
An Introduction to Thermal Physics, Daniel Schroeder
Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics, F. Reif
Statistical Physics, L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz (3rd Ed., Part I)
