University of Pittsburgh
· Department of
Physics &
Astronomy
PHYSICS 2541: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (I)
Spring Term 2012
Instructor: W. Vincent Liu, associate professor
Time of Class: 9:30-10:45am Tue Thu
Place: 105 Allen Hall
Course Plan
- Thermodynamics:
- Fundamental thermodynamic laws
- Carnot engines; entropy; approach to equilibrium and thermodynamic potentials
- Probability:
- Random variables
- Central limit theorem
- Information, entropy and estimation*
- Kinetic theory of gases:
- Liouville's theorem
- Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon hierarchy*
- Boltzman equation
- H-theorem and irreversibility
- Conservation laws, and hydrodynamics
- Classical statistical mechanics
- Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles
- Two-level systems
- Idea gas
- Mixed entropy and the Gibbs paradox
- Interacting particles
- Cluster expansion
- Variational methods
- Critical point behavior
- Quantum statistical mechanics
- Dilute polyatomic gases
- Debye model for solids
- Black-body radiation
- Ideal quantum gases
- Fermi gases
- Bose gases
- Superfluid He-4*
* In case of a class that needs stronger coverage of basic subjects
(or if time is too short for any other reason),
the subjects marked with a* would be sacrificed.
Textbook
Mehran Kardar, Statistical Physics of Particles, Cambridge University Press, 2007. (required)
Supplementary texts:
- Mehran Kardar, Statistical Physics of Fields, Cambridge University Press, 2007 (recommended)
- L.D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz, Statistical Physics --- a valuable reference
- R.K. Pathria and P. D. Beale, Statistical Mechanics, 3rd edition, 2011 --- a widely used textbook.