Lecturer: Prof. Wang Jian-Sheng, TA: Wan Si Chen (e0176763@u.nus.edu)
Schedule: Mon/Wed 10:00-12:00noon, LT27.
Final exam: Sat 7 May 2022 9:00-11:00 venue S12-04-02; midterm: Wed 2 Mar (f2f, close book for both)
textbook: "An Introduction to Thermal Physics," Daniel V. Schroeder.
Offical Syllabus: This module is an introductory course in statistical and thermal physics, and is a prerequisite to advanced statistical mechanics. The topics to be covered include: mathematical background, laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamics functions, chemical equilibrium and phase transitions, kinetic theory, postulates of statistical mechanics, independent particle approach of statistical mechanics, basic distributions, ideal gases, paramagnetism, equipartition theorem, etc. Science and engineering students with a background knowledge of general physics are the targeted students.
Course Outline:
Week 1: 10,12 Jan, concept of temperature, ideal gas, homework 1
Week 2: 17,19 Jan, work and heat, first law, kinetic theory
Week 3: 24,26 Jan, second law, entropy, homework 2
Week 4: 31 Jan, equilibrium, 3rd law (Wed is public holiday)
Week 5: 7,9 Feb, mechanical/chemical equilibrium, homework 3
Week 6: 14,16 Feb, heat engines
recess week, no classes
Week 7, 28 Feb (online), 2 Mar, enthalpy, free energy (midterm test on 2 Mar Wed f2f), homework 4
Week 8: 7,9 Mar, phase transformations
Week 9: 14,16 Mar, Boltzmann factor, homework 5
Week 10: 21,23 Mar, canonical distribution
Week 11: 28,30 Mar, quantum statistics, homework 6
Week 12: 4,6 Apr, Fermi gas
Week 13: 11 Apr, Bose particle, blackbody radiation
Upload homework as PDF on LumiNUS at FILES using student ID as file name, e.g., A0212330X-homework-1.pdf
Final exam question paper 2022 (answers are given in OneNote for PC2230).