PHYS 427 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Schedule

 

We will begin by discussing fundamentals, introducing many of the basic tools of statistical mechanics and demonstrating their use in simple example systems.  We then move on to thermodynamics, which allows properties of complex macroscopic systems to be understood.  Next, we study the consequences of the quantum statistics obeyed by identical quantum mechanical particles, and subsequently discuss systems with interacting particles.  Finally, time permitting, we conclude with an introduction to non-equilibrium processes.  

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Week Date Homework Lecture Notes

Reading

(Kittel and Kroemer)

 Discussion
1 8/21   Notes 1 Ch. 1  
  8/23

PS 1

due 8/31

Solutions

 Notes 2

Ch. 1 (p. 10-25)

  
2 8/28

PS 2

due 9/7

Solutions

 Notes 3

Ch. 2

Discussion 1

Solutions
  8/30   Notes 4

Ch. 2; Ch.3 pp. 58-60 

 
3 9/6

PS 3

due 9/15

Solutions

 Notes 5

Ch. 3 (p. 58-62, 72-76)

Discussion 2

Solutions
4 9/11  

Notes Lecture 6

(typeset lecture 5)

 Ch. 3 (p. 58-62, 72-76)

Discussion 3

Solutions
  9/13

PS 4

due 9/21

Solutions

Notes Lecture 7

(typeset lecture 6)

 Ch.3 (p. 77)  
5 9/18  

Notes Lecture 8

(typeset lecture 7)

Ch. 3 (p. 68-71)

Discussion 4

Solutions
  9/20

 

Notes 9

(typeset lecture 8)

Ch 6 171-176;

Ch. 8 (227-257)

  
6 9/25

 

 

Notes 10

Additional examples

  

 
  9/27

PS 5

due 10/6

Solutions

MIDTERM EXAM 1

Midterm Exam 1 solutions

   
7 10/2  

Notes 11

Saha Equation

Ch. 5 (119-139)

Discussion 6

Solutions
  10/4

PS 6

due 10/12

Solutions

 Notes 12 Ch. 9 (261-272)  
8 10/9

 

 Notes 13 Ch. 5 (134-144)

Discussion 7

Solutions
  10/11

PS 6

due 10/19

Solutions

 Notes 14 Ch. 4 (89-98)  
9 10/16   Notes 15 Ch. 4 (102-109)

Discussion 8

Solutions
  10/18

PS 7

due 10/26

Solutions

 Notes 16 Ch. 7  
10 10/23   Notes 17 Ch. 7 (183-195)

Discussion 9

Solutions

 
  10/25   Notes 18

Ch. 7 (199-205)

  
11 10/30   Notes 19 Ch. 7

 

 
  11/1

PS 8

due 11/9

Solutions

 MIDTERM EXAM 2

Midterm 2 Exam Solutions

    
12 11/6   Notes 20

Ch. 10 (276-284)

Discussion 11

Solutions
  11/8

PS 9

due 11/16

Solutions

 Notes 21 Ch. 10 (287-291)  
13 11/13   Notes 22

Ch. 10 (295-297)

Discussion 12

Solutions
  11/15

PS 10

due 11/30

Solutions

 Notes 23

Ch. 10 (298-302)

  
Fall Break
14 11/27  

Notes 24

spin flip rates

Ch. 14 (407-408;

see also 270-271)

Discussion 13

Solutions
  11/29

PS 11

(No due date)

 Notes 25 p. 96-98  
15 12/4   Notes 26  

Practice problems

Solutions
  12/6   REVIEW  

Perspectives
 

12/13

   FINAL EXAM:
Formula Sheet
8-11 am, 1302 Everitt