Lecturer: Prof. Wang Jian-Sheng
Schedule/Venue: Monday 4:00-6:00 LT29, Friday 4:00-6:00 LT26
Final exam: 5 May 2025, 9:00am Midterm: Friday 7 Mar (all close book)
Textbook: "An Introduction to Thermal Physics," Daniel V. Schroeder.
Offical Syllabus: This essential module for physics major is intended for students who wish to acquire a deep understanding of systems of many particles. It considers the fundamentals of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics and is a prerequisite to advanced statistical mechanics. It covers topics such as: the laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic functions, ideal gases, heat engines; microcanonical ensemble, canonical ensemble, Boltzmann distribution and partition function; introduction to quantum gases.
Course Outline:
Week 1: 13,17 Jan, concept of temperature, ideal gas
Week 2: 20,24 Jan, work and heat, first law, kinetic theory
Week 3: 27,31 Jan, second law, entropy
Week 4: 3,7 Feb equilibrium, 3rd law
Week 5: 10,14 Feb, mechanical/chemical equilibrium
Week 6: 19,21 Feb, heat engines
recess week, no classes
Week 7, 3,7 Mar, enthalpy, free energy (midterm test on 7 Mar Friday)
Week 8: 10,14 Mar, phase transformations
Week 9: 17,21 Mar, Boltzmann factor
Week 10: 24,28 Mar, canonical distribution
Week 11: 31,4 Apr, quantum statistics
Week 12: 7,11 Apr, Fermi gas
Week 13: 14,18 Apr, Bose particle, blackbody radiation
Homework problem sets are on Canvas at Files. Upload homework as PDF on Canvas at Assignments using student ID as file name, e.g., A0212330X-homework-1.pdf
Final exam question paper 2022, 2023,
2024.