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

Course Description

The aim of statistical mechanics is to explain the aggregate behavior of systems with many degrees of freedom. Examples include gases, collections of spins, atoms in a laser trap, electrons in metals, semiconductors, vibrations in solids, photons in a box, chemical reactions, etc. This is a subject in which an enormous range of physical phenomena can understood with relatively simple mathematics. But, while the mathematics will remain simple, the concepts are not always so. This is particularly true of thermodynamics, the study of heat and work. The first part of the course will introduce the basic tools of statistical mechanics and simple systems that may be worked out analytically. We will then move on to thermodynamics, which permits one to infer general properties of more complex systems. Next, we will investigate various quantum mechanical systems such as the Fermi gas and Bose-Einstein condensates. We will introduce interacting systems including the van der Waals gas and mean field magnetism. The course will end with an introduction to non-equilibrium processes.

Prerequisite

PHYS 213/214 and PHYS 325 or consent of the instructor.

Textbook

Thermal Physics, C. Kittel and H. Kroemer

Notes

Please check the course website each day for announcements, assignments, solutions and class notes.  While I will try to post all the relevant material,  PHYS427 is not an online course and your course grade depends on class attendance.  

Homework

Homework will be assigned on Wednesday and will be due the following Thursday at 5 pm.  Assignments will be returned with the solutions one week after that.   Please deposit assignments in the PHYS427 mailbox in the Loomis-MRL interpass.  Late assignments will be marked down 20% for each day beyond the due date.  The homework sets must be clearly written.  

A few words on our grading scale for problem sets. Every part of a problem is worth 3 points in total (e.g. a three-part problem would be worth 9 points total) and will be scored as follows:

3: perfect solution, devoid of conceptual or technical errors

2.5: solution is conceptually correct, but contains minor mathematical errors (signs, numerical factors, etc.)

2: solution contains minor conceptual errors or larger mathematical errors, but makes good progress towards the correct answer

1: solution contains major conceptual errors and does not make meaningful progress towards the correct answer

0: no attempt at solution

 

Exams

There will be two in-class midterm exams (Feb. 22 and April 5) and a final exam (date TBA).

Grading

Course Component Percentage of Grade
Class participation 10
Discussion 10
Problem sets 20
Midterms 30
Final Exam 30

General Information

There are also other excellent texts available that offer different perspectives.  The books on reserve in the library are listed below, with some comments I hope you find useful.