2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog

PHYS 321 Thermal and Statistical Physics

Introduction to the principles of thermodynamics and statistical physics. Topics include: probability theory, statistical description of systems of particles, kinetic theory, thermodynamic laws, entropy, microcanonical and canonical ensembles, distribution functions, ideal and real gases, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics. Applications include the specific heat of solids, black body radiation; non-interacting Bose and Fermi gases; mean field theories for real gases; magnetism; phase transitions; propagation of heat and sound and critical phenomena.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

CHEM 112, MATH 217, and PHYS 220

Corequisite

PHSY 321L

Offered

Irregularly