Lecturer: Prof. Wang Jian-Sheng
Schedule/Venue: Monday 4:00-6:00 S14-06-19, Friday 4:00-6:00 LT29
Final exam: Tuesday 30 April 2024, 1:00pm; Midterm: Friday 8 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: 15,19 Jan, concept of temperature, ideal gas
Week 2: 22,26 Jan, work and heat, first law, kinetic theory
Week 3: 29 Jan, 2 Feb, second law, entropy (homework 1 due on Tuesday 30th Jan)
Week 4: 5,9 Feb equilibrium, 3rd law (9 Feb Friday 4pm class is cancelled, Chinese new year eve)
Week 5: 16 Feb, mechanical/chemical equilibrium (12 Feb Chinese new year, homework 2 due Tuesday, 13 Feb)
Week 6: 19,23 Feb, heat engines
recess week, no classes
Week 7, 4,8 Mar, enthalpy, free energy (midterm test on 8 Mar Friday, homework 3 due Tuesday, 5 Mar)
Week 8: 11,15 Mar, phase transformations
Week 9: 18,22 Mar, Boltzmann factor (homework 4 due Tuesday, 19 Mar)
Week 10: 25 Mar, canonical distribution (29 Mar is Good Friday holiday)
Week 11: 1,5 Apr, quantum statistics (homework 5 due Tuesday 2 Apr)
Week 12: 8,12 Apr, Fermi gas
Week 13: 15 Apr, Bose particle, blackbody radiation (homework 6 due Tuesday 16 Apr, no class on Friday)
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.