Physics 351

Spring 2007 Syllabus

Instructor Eric Wells

Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics

Office GSC 208 Phone 274-4913 Email eric.wells@augie.edu

Text: Daniel V. Schroeder, An Introduction to Thermal Physics, 1th Ed., Addison Wesley Longman, 2000. Class Time: MWF, 9:00-9:50 AM, GSC 210 Office Hours: Scheduled office hours are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00-9:00 AM and Monday and Wednesday from 11:00 AM -12:00 PM. Other times are available by appointment. My schedule is posted on the door of my office. Topics: Equations of state, ideal and real gases, laws of thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics, including a brief introduction to quantum statistics. A recurring theme will be how the classical and quantum behavior of individual atoms may be extrapolated to gain insight into the behavior of bulk matter. The semester will essentially be split into equal parts of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. A detailed list of topics is included on the schedule. Learning Outcomes: Students will demonstrate the ability to apply thermodynamic and statistical principles to physical problems, both macro- and microscopic. Reading: This text has received excellent reviews from both students and instructors in the short time it has been in print. I encourage you very strongly to read prior to attending class. The previous book of choice at nearly all schools nationwide, Thermal Physics, written by Charles Kittel, has become somewhat dated, although it does contain some valuable insights. For some topics (Deybe Theory, etc), Kittels Introduction to Solid State Physics might also be of use for supplemental reading. Finally, although written at a somewhat higher level than the current text, Reifs Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics is also a good reference. Midterm Exam: There will be (tentatively) three midterm exams. Most of the midterm exams will contain both inclass and out of class parts. More details will be given as the date of the exam nears. Final Exam: The final exam is scheduled for Friday, May 18, at 8:00 AM. This exam will cover material from the entire semester. Homework: Weekly assignments will be given and you can expect them to be challenging. If you start your homework on the day it is due, it is quite likely that you will not be able to complete the assignment. You should make an effort to provide neat well reasoned homework solutions. If an answer is wrong and you know it is wrong and can point out why, I will give this some consideration in grading. If your work is poorly organized and hard to follow or read, I will not be inclined to give much credit for the answer. Some assignments may require the use of numerical computational techniques (i.e. MATLAB). Grading: Semester grades will be weighted as follows: Midterm Exam(s) Final Exam Homework 3 x 15% = 45% 25% 30%

Semester Grades will be assigned on a fixed scale, so there is no need to feel like you are competing against each other. If the class average is particularly low I reserve the right to adjust grades to be higher than the scale given below, but I will not adjust your grade to be lower. Grade A+ A APercentage 100-96 95-91 88-91 Grade B+ B BPercentage 87-86 85-80 79-78 Grade C+ C CPercentage 77-76 75-70 69-68 Grade D+ D DPercentage 67-66 65-60 59-58

Regular class attendance is expected. More than three unexcused absences will mean we need to visit and your grade will be affected. Exceptions to Deadlines: The will be no exceptions to deadlines on homework for planned absences due to extracurricular activities. The assignments should either be completed prior to the absence or some other arrangement reached before the absence. Please contact me before a planned absence so that arrangements can be made. If no arrangements are made and an assignment or exam is missed, a grade of zero will be recorded. Deadlines will be extended in extreme cases, such as serious illness or a family emergency. Please notify me as soon as possible in such circumstances. Academic Honesty: Collaborative work on homework in this class is encouraged. Working with one another on problem sets enhances learning for all involved. If you do work together, you are required to note who you worked with on your paper. Each student is required to turn in separate homework results. Exceptions to this policy (e.g. a group project in which work will be turned in as a group, or a take-home portion of a test on which you are forbidden to collaborate) will be clearly noted by the instructor during class. You are also required to cite any outside sources you use for problems sets or work of any kind, including, for example, a student solution manual or a solution to a problem found on the web. Failure to cite an outside source1 that contributed to your understanding of the problem is plagiarism. Plagiarism (as defined in the College Catalog) or other forms of academic dishonesty are serious offenses and will be dealt with harshly. If you are caught engaging in academic dishonesty, you will receive a failing grade for the course and be reported to the College, as required by the academic honesty policy, for potential further action. Disabilities and Special Needs: Augustana College strives to assure there is accessibility to activities and programs for students with disabilities. Any students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation in this course are encouraged to speak with the instructor as soon as possible. It is the students responsibility to inform the Susan Bies in the Disabilities Office (MC 140, Phone: 274-5503) of special needs. Final Words: Please come and see me about any questions or concerns you have. Sooner is almost always better than later.

An outside source is defined, for the purposes of this course, as any material except the textbook and notes taken by the student about what I say or write during class.

Tentative Schedule for Physics 351 Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics Date February Topic Introduction / Thermal Equilibrium / Start Ideal Gas Ideal Gas / Equipartition of Energy Heat and Work Compression and Work Heat Capacity Rates of Processes (Conduction, diffusion, conductivity) Two-State Systems / Einstein Model for Solids Interacting Systems / Large Systems Large Systems (continued) Ideal Gas Entropy Exam I Temperature / Entropy / Heat Paramagnetism Mechanical Equilibrium and Pressure Diffusive Equilibrium and Chemical Potential Heat Engines Refrigerators Free Energy I Free Energy II Free Energy / Phase Transitions Phase Transitions Exam 2 The Boltzmann Factor Calculating Average Values Equipartition Theorem Maxwell Speed Distribution Partition Functions Ideal Gas (one more time) Gibbs Factor Bosons and Fermions Degenerate Fermi Gases Blackbody Radiation I Blackbody Radiation II Debye Theory of Solids Exam 3 Bose-Einstein Condensation Final Exam (1:00 PM) Text Section 1.1-1.2 1.2-1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 2.1-2.2 2.3-2.4 2.4 2.5 2.6 Chapters 1 and 2 3.1-3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5-3.6 4.1 4.2 5.1 5.1 5.2-5.3 5.3 Chapters 3-5 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5-6.6 6.7 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.4 7.5 Chapters 6-7 7.6 Comprehensive

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