Syllabus 2008/2009 FMF150

Syllabus academic year 2008/2009
(Created 2008-07-17.)

THERMODYNAMICS AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS

FMF150

Higher education credits: 7,5. Grading scale: TH. Level: A (Second level). Language of instruction: The course will be given in English on demand. FMF150 overlap following cours/es: FFFN05. Optional for: F3, F3asf, F3fs, F3tf, MNAV4, Pi4. Course coordinator: Ass prof Gunnar Ohlén, gunnar.ohlen@matfys.lth.se, Fysik, kurslaboratoriet. Recommended prerequisits: Quantum mechanics corresponding to FAF270 Atomic and Nuclear Physics with Applications. The course might be cancelled if the numer of applicants is less than 8. Assessment: Written exam and written presentation of a project. Home page: http://www.matfys.lth.se/termstat.html.

Aim
To give the foundations of statistical physics that is needed both in applications and for studies in theoretical physics.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

know the fundamentals of statistical physics
apply the theory on concrete problems in different areas of physics

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

use the methods of statistical physics for analysis och computation of relevant physical problems
carry through a project

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

decide when a quantummechanical analysis is nessecary

Contents
Basic principles of thermodynamics, the thermodynamic laws. Temperature and entropy. Work and heat. Differentials and differential relations. Statistical methods. Systems and ensembles. Partition functions and their properties. Phases and phase transitions. Quantum statistics for ideal gases. Fermi-Dirac statistics and properties of electron gases. Bose-Einstein statistics and Plancks law of radiation. Ising model

Literature
Schroeder, D.V.: An Introduction to Thermal Physics, Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.