Next: About this document ...
Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics
PHN 330, Spring 2006
Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Stephen Weppner
Text: Thermal Physics, 2nd edition; by Charles Kittel and Herbert Kroemer
WWW-page: http://academics.eckerd.edu/instructor/weppnesp/PH330
Office Location: SHC 105C, TuTh 8:30-9:50
Office Hours: MWF 9:30-11:30, and TuTh 2:30-4:30
e-mail: weppnesp@eckerd.edu (phone: 864-8976)
|
|
|
Week of: |
Chapter |
Contents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept. 5 |
1/2 |
States of a model system, equilibrium, temperature |
Sept. 12 |
2 |
Entropy, laws of thermodynamics, pressure |
Sept. 19 |
3 |
Boltzmann Distribution and Hemholtz Free Energy |
Sept. 26 |
4 |
Planck Distribution |
Oct. 3 |
5 |
Chemical Potential |
Oct. 10 |
5 |
Gibbs Distribution and review |
Oct. 17 |
6 |
Test Ideal gas |
Oct. 24 |
6 |
Ideal gas continued |
Nov. 2 |
6 |
Ideal gas continues |
Nov. 7 |
7 |
Fermi and Bose Gases |
Nov. 14 |
8 |
Heat and Work |
Nov. 21 |
9 |
Gibbs Free Energy and Chemical Reactions |
Nov. 28 |
10 |
Take Home Test Due Phase Transitions |
Dec. 5 |
13 |
Semiconductors |
|
|
|
|
|
Grading Chart |
% |
|
|
In Class EXAM 1 (Tues., Oct. 17th) |
15% |
Take Home EXAM 2 (Thurs. Nov. 30th) |
15% |
FINAL |
20% |
9 Homework Assignments |
25% |
2 Mathematica Assignments |
10% |
Preclass Warmups |
15% |
|
|
Notes for Statistical Physics - PHN 330
- Statistical Mechanics is the
broad definition of any physics which has a large number of particles, where
it is easier to define statistical quantities to the collection as a whole than
it is to describe aspects of each particle. Thermal physics or thermodynamics
was the major application of statistical physics in the 19th century. In
fact statistical physics was developed because of a need to solve
thermodynamical problems. So our primary source, Thermal Physics by
Kittel and Kroemer,
teaches statistical physics through the guise of thermodynamics.
- Books in Library
Elementary Statistical Physics by Charles Kittel: Early version of our
textbook.
Statistical Physics by F. Mandl: Another good book which covers our
topic with a non-historical view. Was my secondary choice.
Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics by F. Reif: A classic
in the field (1965) and still widely used.
Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics by Keith Stowe: Another popular
book on the subject with long explanations of things and less of an
emphasis on thermodynamics.
- Eckerd College has a very strict policy on academic dishonesty.
Anyone found cheating will receive an F in the course.
- Bring a pencil and calculator to exams. Make-up exams will be
arranged only for pre-approved reasons.
- At the beginning of each chapter I will assign problems from the textbook.
These problems are due 1 week from date of assignment, late homework will be
penalized.
- There will be 2 Mathematica assignments for this course. These will
be due two weeks after assignment is made. A completed assignment will be
a hardcopy of all pertinent work given to me. All Mathematica assignments
may be found on my webpage
- The last day to withdraw from class is Thursday, November 10th, 2006.
- Honor Code
All students are expected to uphold the Eckerd Honor Code:
On my honor, as an Eckerd College student,
I pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal, nor to
tolerate those behaviors in others.
and will write "pledged" on any assignment to indicate that the work is
consistent with the Honor Code.
- Hurricane Policy
In the event of a hurricane you will be asked to continue to read the material
and the discussion and homework assignments
will take place on our Eckerd College Faculty Wiki.
Next: About this document ...
Stephen Weppner
2006-09-04