PHYS 427 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Schedule

 

We will begin by discussing fundamentals, introducing many of the basic tools of statistical mechanics and demonstrating their use in simple example systems.  We then move on to thermodynamics, which allows properties of complex macroscopic systems to be understood.  Next, we study the consequences of the quantum statistics obeyed by identical quantum mechanical particles, and subsequently discuss systems with interacting particles.  Finally, time permitting, we conclude with an introduction to non-equilibrium processes.  

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Week Date Homework Lecture Notes

Reading

(Kittel and Kroemer)

 Discussion
1 8/21   Notes 1 Ch. 1  
  8/23

PS 1

due 8/31

Solutions

 Notes 2

Ch. 1 (p. 10-25)

  
2 8/28

PS 2

due 9/7

Solutions

 Notes 3

Ch. 2

Discussion 1

Solutions
  8/30   Notes 4

Ch. 2; Ch.3 pp. 58-60 

 
3 9/6

PS 3

due 9/15

Solutions

 Notes 5

Ch. 3 (p. 58-62, 72-76)

Discussion 2

Solutions
4 9/11  

Notes Lecture 6

(typeset lecture 5)

 Ch. 3 (p. 58-62, 72-76)

Discussion 3

Solutions
  9/13

PS 4

due 9/21

Solutions

Notes Lecture 7

(typeset lecture 6)

 Ch.3 (p. 77)  
5 9/18  

Notes Lecture 8

(typeset lecture 7)

Ch. 3 (p. 68-71)

Discussion 4

Solutions
  9/20

 

Notes 9

(typeset lecture 8)

    
6 9/25

 

 

Notes 10

Additional examples

  

 
  9/27

PS 5

due 10/6

Solutions

 MIDTERM EXAM 1    
7 10/2   Notes 11

 

Discussion 6

Solutions
  10/4

 

 Notes 12    
8 10/9

PS 6

due 10/13

Solutions

 Notes 13  

Discussion 7

Solutions
  10/11

 

 Notes 14    
9 10/16   Notes 15  

Discussion 8

Solutions
  10/18

PS 7

due 10/26

Solutions

 Notes 16    
10 10/23   Notes 17  

Discussion 9

Solutions
  10/25   Notes 18

 

  
11 10/30   Notes 19  

 

 
  11/1

PS 8

due 11/9

Solutions

 MIDTERM EXAM 2    
12 11/6   Notes 20

 

Discussion 11

Solutions
  11/8

PS 9

due 11/16

Solutions

 Notes 21    
13 11/13   Notes 22

 

Discussion 12

Solutions
  11/15

PS 10

due 11/30

Solutions

 Notes 23

 

  
Fall Break
14 11/27   Notes 24  

Discussion 13

Solutions
  11/29

PS 11

(no due date)

 Notes 25    
15 12/4      

Discussion 14

Solutions
  12/6   REVIEW    
 

12/13

(TBC)

   FINAL EXAM