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Statistical Mechanics I: Statistical Mechanics of Particles >> Content Detail



Calendar / Schedule



Calendar

The table below provides information on the course's lecture (L), recitation (R) and exam (E) sessions.


SES #TopicsKey Dates
I. Thermodynamics
L1Fundamental Definitions, The Zeroth Law, The First LawProblem set 1 out
L2The Second Law, Carnot Engines and Thermodynamic Temperature, Entropy
L3Approach to Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Potentials, Useful Mathematical Results
L4Stability Conditions, The Third Law
R1Recitation
II. Probability
L5General Definitions, One Random Variable, Some Important Probability Distributions
L6Many Random Variables, Sums of Random Variables and the Central Limit Theorem, Rules for Large Numbers, Information, Entropy, and EstimationProblem set 1 due
R2Recitation
E1In-class Exam #1Problem set 2 out
III. Kinetic Theory of Gases
L7General Definitions, Liouville's Theorem
L8The Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon Hierarchy, The Boltzmann Equation
L9The H-Theorem and Irreversibility, Equilibrium PropertiesProblem set 3 out
R3Recitation
L10Conservation LawsProblem set 2 due
L11Zeroth Order Hydrodynamics, First Order Hydrodynamics
IV. Classical Statistical Mechanics
L12General Definitions, The Microcanonical Ensemble, Two-Level Systems
L13The Ideal Gas, Mixing Entropy and Gibbs' Paradox, The Canonical Ensemble
R4RecitationProblem set 3 due
E2In-class Exam #2Problem set 4 out
L14Examples, The Gibbs Canonical Ensemble, The Grand Canonical Ensemble
V. Interacting Particles
L15The Cumulant Expansion
L16The Cluster Expansion
R5Recitation
L17The Second Virial Coefficient and Van der Waals Equation, Breakdown of the Van der Waals Equation, Mean Field Theory of Condensation
L18Variational Methods, Corresponding States, Critical Point BehaviorProblem set 5 out
R6RecitationProblem set 4 due
VI. Quantum Statistical Mechanics
L19Mean field theory of condensation, Corresponding states, Critical point behavior (from L17 & L18)
L20Dilute Polyatomic Gases, Vibrations of a Solid, Black-body Radiation
L21Quantum Microstates, Quantum MacrostatesProblem set 6 out
VII. Ideal Quantum Gases
L22Hilbert Space of Identical Particles
R7Recitation
E3In-class Exam #3Problem set 5 due
L23Canonical Formulation, Grand Canonical Formulation
R8Recitation
L24The Degenerate Fermi Gas
L25The Degenerate Bose GasProblem set 6 due
L26Superfluid He4
R9Recitation
E4Final Exam

 








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