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 (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, 19 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.