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Physics 715: Statistical Mechanics, Fall 2009.   
Place:
Time:
Instructor:
Office:
 2104 Chamberlin Hall
09:55 AM - 10:45 AM, MWF
Maxim G. Vavilov
5318 Chamberlin Hall

Textbooks:
K. Huang, "Statistical Mechanics", John Wiley & Sons
L.D. Landau & L.M. Lifshitz, "Statistical Physics, part 1" Pergamon Press

Office hour: Friday 2:30 - 3:30 pm.

Calendar.

Topics: 
  1. Thermodynamic Variables; Laws of Thermodynamic:
    1. Three laws of thermodynamics; 
    2. Thermodynamic Potentials; 
    3. Equation of State and Phase Transitions.
  2. Fundumental Principles of Statistical Mechanics: 
    1. Postulate of Statistical Mechanics; 
    2. Semiclassical Description of Quantum Mechanics; 
    3. Microcanonical Ensemble;
    4. Canonical Ensemble;
    5. Grand Canonical Ensemble.
  3. Dilute Gas: 
    1. Equation of State and Gibbs Paradox; 
    2. Nonideal Gas and Van-der-Vaals formula; 
    3. Liquid-Gas Transition.
  4. Fermi Systems:
    1. Equation of State and Thermodynamic Properties; 
    2. Magnetism of Fermi Gas;
    3. Fermi Liquid;
    4. Superconductivity.
  5. Bose Systems:
    1. Photons and Black Body Radiation;
    2. Bose-Einstein Condensation;
    3. Imperfect Bose Gas and Superfluidity. 
  6. Spin Systems and Ising Model:
    1. Spontaneous Magnetization;
    2. Approximate Solutions;
    3. One-dimensional Ising Model;
    4. Onsager Solution. 
  7. Fluctuations:
    1. Thermodynamic Fluctuations;
    2. Correlations of Fluctuations in Time;
    3. Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem.
  8. Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena:
    1. Order Parameter;
    2. Landau Approach;
    3. Critical Exponents;
    4. Scaling Hypothesis;
    5. Renormalization Group.
Final letter grade will be determined by the homework, two midterm exams and the final take-home exam. Homework assignments will be biweekly. Exam times will be announced later.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Homework 1 due October 5     (solutions)
Homework 2 due October 19   (solutions)
Homework 3 due November 23   (solutions)
Homework 4 due December 7   (solutions)




1st midterm exam due October 26 (solutions)
 

 Final exam take-home, due December 15, 2009 (solutions)  see also arXiv:0912.3556v1