Peter A. Becker, RB1 room 269, telephone 993-3619
Required Text: "Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics" by Reif
Office Hours: I am generally available MW 1:00pm-2:00pm, but you should call ahead for an appointment to be sure I will be there.
You can download a PDF copy of the syllabus here.
The following files are PDF documents containing the solution sets for the homework in Physics 307.
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For a list of topics to be covered on the Final Exam, click here
This course provides an overview of the theory of statistical and thermal physics, and is intended for physics majors.
Grades will be based on two semester exams (20% midterm 1, 20% midterm 2), the final exam (30%), and weekly homework (30%).
Lecture 1: (1/24/12) Microscopic vs. macroscopic behaviors (Chap. 1)
Lecture 2: (1/26/12) Phase space; states; quantization (Chap. 2)
Lecture 3: (1/31/12) Systems and ensembles (Chap. 1)
Lecture 4: (2/2/12) Ensemble averaging; mean values (Chap. 1)
Lecture 5: (2/7/12) Bionomial coefficient and binomial distribution (Chap. 1)
Lecture 6: (2/9/12) Mean and variance; discrete random walk (Chap. 2)
Lecture 7: (2/14/12) Gaussian distribution; Poisson distribution (Chap. 1)
Lecture 8: (2/16/12) Interacting systems; approach to equilibium (Chap. 2)
Lecture 9: (2/21/12) Boltzmann's H-theorem; energy equipartition (Chap. 2)
Lecture 10: (2/23/12) EXAM 1
Lecture 11: (2/28/12) First Law of Thermodynamics (Chap. 2)
Lecture 12: (3/1/12) Exact and inexact differentials (Chap. 2)
Lecture 13: (3/6/12) Reversible and irreversible processes (Chap. 3)
Lecture 14: (3/8/12) Interacting systems (Chap. 3)
Lecture 15: (3/13/12) SPRING BREAK
Lecture 16: (3/15/12) SPRING BREAK
Lecture 17: (3/20/12) Temperature; heat flow (Chap. 3)
Lecture 18: (3/22/12) Second Law of Thermodynamics (Chap. 3)
Lecture 19: (3/27/12) Heat Reservoirs (Chap. 3)
Lecture 20: (3/29/12) Thermodynamic relations; ideal gas (Chap. 3)
Lecture 21: (4/3/12) Third Law of Thermodynamics; heat capacity (Chap. 4)
Lecture 22: (4/5/12) EXAM 2
Lecture 23: (4/10/12) Adiabatic processes (Chap. 5)
Lecture 24: (4/12/12) Specific heats (Chap. 5)
Lecture 25: (4/17/12) Entropy and adiabatic processes (Chap. 5)
Lecture 26: (4/19/12) State variables; Maxwell's relations (Chap. 5)
Lecture 27: (4/24/12) Joule-Thompson process (Chap. 5)
Lecture 28: (4/26/12) Engines and refrigerators (Chap. 5)
Lecture 29: (5/1/12) Boltzmann factor; canonical distribution (Chap. 6)
Lecture 30: (5/3/12) Partition functions; Maxwell velocity distribution (Chap. 7)
FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, 5/15/12, 1:30pm-4:15pm
