Physics 328  Statistical Mechanics

University of Washington   Department of Physics

Spring Quarter 2008,  Prof. Marjorie Olmstead

Class Meets MWF 10:30 - 11:20  in PAB B109

Last Update 18 March 2008

Tentative Lecture Schedule

All readings are in the text:  Statistical and Thermal Physics, by M. D. Sturge
Lecture notes will be posted on the class
GoPost.
 
MONDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY
3/31
Topics:  Introduction.  Stat mech vs. thermo.  Counting States
Reading:  Chapter 1 [Chapter 2 Review]
4/02
Topics:  Multiplicity, Probability, Fundamental Assumption of SM
Reading:  Chapter 3
4/04
Topics: Entropy, Temperature, Laws of Thermodynamics
Reading:  Chapter 4.1-4.6
4/7
Topics: First Law, Connecting S and T in Stat Mech and Thermo
Reading:  Chapter 4.7-4.13
4/9
Topics: Free energy, enthalpy, free enthalpy, Boltzman factor, partition function
Reading: Chapter 4.7-4.13, Chapter 5.1-5.3
Homework #1 Due
4/11
Topics: Multiatom partition function, Fluctuations
Reading: Chapter 5.4-5.7
4/14
Topics: Entropy and Information,  General fluctuations
Reading: Chapter 5.8-5.11
4/16
Topics: Density of States for Particle in 1D, 2D, 3D box
Reading: Chapter 6.1-6.4
Homework #2 Due
4/18
Topics:  Phonons
Reading: Chapter 6.5-6.7
4/21
Topics:  Phonon Heat Capacity
Reading:  Chapter 6.8-6.12
4/23
Topics: Equipartition and Chemical Potential
Reading:  Chapter 7.1-7.3
Homework #3 Due
4/25
MIDTERM 1
Covers through Chapter 6

4/28  Topics: Balancing external potential with chemical potential:  Gravity and Electrochemical Potential
Reading:  Chapter 7.4-7.7
4/30
Topics: Grand Partition function and its Applications, surface adsorption
Reading: Chapter 7.4-7.9
Homework #4 Due
5/02
Topics:  Fermi and Bose Perfect Gases
Reading:  Chapter 8
5/5
Topics: Ideal Gases - Chemical Potential, heat capacity
Reading: Chapter 9.1-9.4
5/7
Topics:  Maxwell Boltzman distribution; ideal solutions
Reading:  9.5-9.11
Homework #5 Due
5/9
Topics: Internal degrees of Freedom, Chemical Equilibrium
Reading:  Supplemental

5/12
Topics:  Black body radiation, Planck distribution
Reading: Chapter 10.1-10.4

5/14
Topics:  Cosmic Microwave Background, Greenhouse effect, Solar power
Reading: Chapter 10.8,11
Homework #6 Due
5/16
Topics:  Perfect Bose Gas, BEC
Reading: Chapter 11

5/19
MIDTERM 2
Covers through Chapter 9 and Chemical Reactions
5/21
Topics:  Perfect Fermi Gas, Metals and superconductors
Reading: Chapter 12.1-12.2
Homework #7 Due
5/23
Topics: 
Stars and cold fermionic atoms
Reading: Chapter 12.3-12.6


5/26 HOLIDAY


5/28
Topics: Semiconductor bands, electrons and holes
Reading:  Chapter 13.1-13.2
Homework #8 Due
5/30
Topics:  Intrinsic and Doped semiconductors
Reading:  Chapter 13.3-13.4

6/02  
Topics: Semiconductor Devices
Reading:  Chapter 13.5-13.7
6/04
Topics: Cryogenics : RT to 2K
Reading:  Kittel Chapter 12 (See GoPost)
Homework #9 Due Thursday evening
6/06
Topics: Cryogenics 2K to nanoK
Reading:
6/9  8:30 AM  FINAL EXAM





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