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: K&K

Schroeder: S)

 Discussion
1 8/26   Notes 1

K&K Ch. 1

S Ch. 2

  
  8/28

PS 1

due 9/5

Solutions

 Notes 2

K&K Ch. 1 (p. 10-25)

S Ch. 2 (2.1, 2.2, 2.4)

  
2 9/4

PS 2

due 9/12

Solutions

 Notes 3

K&K Ch. 2

S Ch. 2 (2.3, 2.6); Ch. 3 (3.1)

Discussion 1

Solutions
3 9/9   Notes 4

K&K Ch. 2; Ch.3 pp. 58-60

S Ch. 2 (2.5); Ch 3 (3.3) 

 
3 9/11

PS 3

due 9/19

Solutions

 Notes 5

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

S Ch. 2 (2.5); S Ch. 3 (3.4); S 6.1

Discussion 2

Solutions
4 9/16  

Notes Lecture 6

 

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

S 6.1-2

Discussion 3

Solutions
  9/18

PS 4

due 9/26

Solutions

Notes Lecture 7

 

K&K Ch.3 (p. 77)

S 6.3-4; 6.6-6.7

  
5 9/23  

Notes Lecture 8

 

K&K Ch. 3 (p. 68-71)

S 6.5 (see also 5.2)

Discussion 4

Solutions
  9/25

PS 5

due 10/3

Solutions

Notes 9

Ch 6 171-176;

K&K Ch. 8 (227-257);

S 4.1-4.4

  
6 9/30

 

 

Notes 10

Thermodynamic Relations: Examples

 S. 5.1

Discussion 5

Solutions
  10/2

PS 6

due 10/17

Solutions

Notes 11

Saha equation

K&K Ch. 5 (119-139);

S 3.5

  
7 10/7  

Notes 12

 

 S 5.2

Discussion 6

Solutions
  10/9

 

MIDTERM EXAM 1

solutions

 Ch. 9 (261-272)  
8 10/14

 

 Notes 13

K&K Ch. 5 (134-144)

S 7.1

Discussion 7

Solutions
  10/16

PS 7

due 10/24

Solutions

 Notes 14

K&K Ch. 4 (89-98)

S 7.4

  
9 10/21   Notes 15

K&K Ch. 4 (102-109)

S 7.5

Discussion 8

Solutions
  10/23

PS 8

due 10/31

Solutions

 Notes 16

K&K Ch. 7

S 7.2

  
10 10/28   Notes 17

K&K Ch. 7 (183-195)

S 7.3 (271-277)

Discussion 9

Solutions

 
  10/30

PS 9

due 11/7

Solutions

 Notes 18

K&K Ch. 7 (199-205)

S 7.3 (277-285)

  
11 11/4   Notes 19

K&K Ch. 7

S 7.6

Discussion 10

Solutions
  11/6

PS 10

due 11/21

Solutions

  

Notes 20

K&K Ch. 10 (276-284)

S 5.3

  
12 11/11   Notes 21

K&K Ch. 10 (287-291)

S 5.3 (180-185)

Discussion 11

Solutions
  11/13

 

MIDTERM EXAM 2

solutions

 Ch. 10 (287-291)  
13 11/18   Notes 22

K&K Ch. 10 (295-297)

S 8.2 (339-345)

Discussion 12

Solutions
  11/20

PS 11

due 12/5

Solutions

 Notes 23

K&K Ch. 10 (298-302)

  
Fall Break
14 12/2  

Notes 24

spin flip rate

Ch. 14 (407-408;

see also 270-271)

Discussion 13

Solutions
  12/4

PS 12

(No due date)

solutions

 Notes 25 p. 96-98  
15 12/9   Notes 26  

Discussion 14

Solutions
  12/11   Notes 27  

 
 

12/18

8:00-11:00 am

217 Noyes Laboratory

   FINAL EXAM