Welcome
to
Physics
181:
Statistical
Mechanics
and
Thermodynamics
Course
aims
and
structure
This
course
develops
the
ideas
and
tools
of
statistical
and
thermal
physics,
which
are
now
central
to
all
fields
of
physics,
as
well
as
to
information
theory,
chemistry
and
biology.
In
preparation
for
each
lecture
students
will
be
given
a
reading
assignment
or
will
carry
out
simple
experiments
(mostly
on
a
computer,
more
rarely
in
the
kitchen
sink).
In
the
lecture
we
will
reinforce
the
knowledge
you
gained
through
this
preparation,
will
deepen
your
understanding,
and
will
guide
you
through
implementing
this
knowledge
by
worked
examples
and
inspiring
problem
sets.
Lectures
and
Sections
We
will
have
three
lectures
and
one
section
a
week.
Lectures
are
MWF
11am
Jefferson
356
Sections
are
MT
2:30-‐4pm
or
7-‐8:30pm
Jefferson
256.
Texts
and
suggested
books
The
two
main
textbooks
for
this
course
are:
• An
Introduction
to
Thermal
Physics
by
Schroeder
[if
you
feel
like
buying
a
book
for
this
course,
this
is
the
one
to
buy].
• Thermal
and
Statistical
Physics
by
Gould,
freely
available
online,
at
[Link]
During
of
each
lecture
we
will
let
you
know
what
sections
in
these
books
were
covered.
This
will
also
be
available
in
the
course
website
before
the
lecture.
There
are
literally
tens
of
textbooks
in
statistical
mechanics,
and
many
offer
unique
strengths
or
points
of
view.
Some
suggested
reading
include:
• Fundamentals
of
Statistical
and
Thermal
Physics
by
Reif
• Statistical
Physics
by
Amit
and
Verbin
• Statistical
Mechanics:
Entropy,
Order
Parameters,
and
Complexity
by
Sethna,
available
at
[Link]
• An
introduction
to
thermodynamics
and
statistical
mechanics
by
Stowe
Problem
sets
Problem
sets
will
be
handed
out
on
Friday
in
class
and
will
be
due
the
following
Friday.
They
are
intended
mostly
to
help
you
absorb
the
material
and
prepare
for
class.
You
are
encouraged
to
discuss
it
with
other
students
or
work
in
study
groups.
However,
the
work
that
is
turned
in
must
be
your
own.
Preparation
assignments
should
be
submitted
along
with
the
problem
set
of
the
same
week.
These
will
only
be
marked
“completed”
or
not.
You
will
get
one
credit
point
for
each
completed
assignment.
Credit
points
will
go
toward
your
final
exam
grade.
Grading
Homework
(~
1
set/week)
30%
Midterm
(covers
1st
half
of
the
course)
25%
Final
(covers
all
the
material
of
the
course,
with
emphasis
on
topics
not
covered
in
the
midterm)
45%
To
qualify
for
the
final
exam
you
must
submit
all
problem
sets
but
one,
and
acquire
at
least
8
credit
points
from
the
prep
assignments.
Tentative
schedule
Topic 1 Introduction: Macroscopic and microscopic behaviors
Modern history: how Statistical physics came to be essential for modern physics,
chemistry, biology, and information science. Macroscopic observations that lead to
microscopic discoveries, microscopic interactions that lead to macroscopic behaviors.
Topic 2 Concepts of Thermodynamics
Equilibrium; Energy, heat and work; first law of thermodynamics.
Topic 3 Concepts of Probability
The rules of probability, random variables, probability distributions, the central limit
theorem, Gaussian integrals, Stirling’s approximation, random walks
Topic 4 The toolbox of Statistical Mechanics
Microstates, statistical ensembles, definitions for temperature, entropy and disorder,
entropy and information, second law of thermodynamics
Topic 5 Magnetic systems: paramagnetism and ferromagnetism
The two-state system, Curie’s law, Magnetic susceptibility, the Ising model in 1D.
Topic 6 Classical ideal gases
Classical ideal gas, Maxwell’s speed distribution, the equipartition theorm
Topic 7 Quantum gases
Bose and Fermi statistics, the equation of state
Topic 8 Photons
The ultraviolet catastrophe and Planck distribution, photons, the Cosmic background
radiation
Topic 9 Debye theory of solids, Bose-Einstein Condensation
Heat capacity in a crystalline solid, BEC, superfluidity
Optional Topic A Chemical potentials and phase equilibria
Chemical potentials, mixtures. Solvation, fixation, ionization. Reactions and mass-
action. Stable and metastable phases, Maxwell construction.
Optional Topic B Critical phenomena
Order parameter. Critical phenomena, ergodicity and symmetry breaking. No phase
transition in 1D. Ising Model in 2D, Mean-field theory.
Optional Topic C Applications
Applications in information, economics, Biology and astrophysics.
