PHYS3020 STATISTICAL PHYSICS

Students should only enrol into PHYS3020 if they have already passed PHYS3080.
All other students should enrol into PHYS3021 Statistical and Solid State Physics in 2012.

See also Lecture Notes

Session 1

  • 3 Units of Credit

Lecturer:

Statistical physics is the study of the physical properties of systems consisting of large number of particles and its importance arises from the fact that all macroscopic objects and complex microscopic objects are systems of this kind. Physical phenomena described by statistical physics include properties of gases, liquids and solids, phase transitions, equilibrium in chemical reactions, complex atoms and nuclei, "usual" and neutron stars, Cosmic background radiation and creation of matter after Big Bang.

Assumed knowledge:

  • Thermal Physics and Quantum Physics on the introductory level (PHYS 2060, PHYS 2040 or equivalent courses).

Assessment:

  • Assignments: 15%
  • Mid-session test: 15%
  • Two-hour exam: 70%

Text Book:

  • F. Mandl, Statistical Physics.

Syllabus:

  • Canonical distribution, paramagnetism, Einstein solid, ideal gas, equipartition, grand canonical ensemble, chemical potential, phase equilibria, Fermi and Bose statistics, Bose condensation, blackbody radiation.

Further Information

For more information about PHYS3020 contact:

    last updated 1st February 2011