Thermal Physics

Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics

Course Description

Thermal Physics provides and introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Thermal physics studies the relationship between volume, pressure, heat, work, energy, temperature, entropy free energy, enthalpy, chemical potential, heat capacities and other quantities. Topics presented in this course include the first, second and third laws of thermodynamcis; heat engines, refrigerators and heat pumps; mechanical, thermal, and chemical equilibrium. phase diagrams, phase transitions, Boltzmann and Gibbs distributions, partition functions, the equipartition theorem, Blackbody radiation, and degenerate fermi gasses. Prereq.: PHYS-206 and MATH-202 or consent of instructor. 3.0 Credits

Required Textbook

D.V. Schroeder, An Introduction to Thermal Physics, (Benjamin Cummings, 2000).

Other Thermal Physics Texts:

• C.J. Adkins, Equilibrium Thermodynamics, 3^rd Edition, (Cambridge, 1983).
• R. Baierlein, Thermal Physics, (Cambridge, 1999).
• A. Carter, Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics, (Prentice Hall, 2001).
• C. Kittel & H. Kroemer, Thermal Physics, (Freeman, 1980) .
• L.D. Landau & E.M. Lifshitz, Statistical Physics, (Oxford, 1983).
• F. Mandl, Statistical Physics, (Wiley, 1989).
• F. Reif, Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics, (McGraw-Hill, 1965).
• F. Sears and G. Salinger, Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, and Statistical Thermodynamics, (Benjamin Cummings, 1975).
• K. Stowe, Introduction to Statistical Mechancis and Thermodynamics, (Wiley, 1983).

Other Useful References:

• Daniel Zwillinger, CRC Standard Mathematical Tables and Formulae, (CRS Press).
• I.S. Gradshteyn & I.M. Ryzhik, Tables of Integrals, Series and Products, (Academic Press).

Lectures

SEC 1, MW at 5:40 PM - 6:55 PM, in SCI-211

Problem Sets

Weekly problem sets are assigned here. Problem sets should be completed by Monday of the following week. You are required to bring the previous weeks problem set to class every Monday (unless there is a midterm exam). These problem sets will be collected in weeks were a quiz is not given. When problem sets are collected, a random problem will selected to take the place of a quiz. You are strongly encouraged to work with your classmates on problem sets, however the work on your individual problem set should be your own.

Quizzes

Short quizzes may be administered in place of collecting Quizzes are based on the previous week's problem set and material from the previous weeks lecture. The two lowest quiz (or problem set) grades will be dropped. Missed quizzes and absent problem sets are counted as zero. There will be no quiz make-ups.

Exams

This course has two in class midterm exams and a two-hour final. The exams are largely based on material from lectures and problems similar to those found in the weekly assignments. Exam policies can be found here.

Grading

The final grade will be based on:
Two midterms (1/5) + (1/5) + [Quizzes,problem sets] (1/5) + Final (2/5)

Any student who achieves a percentile score of above 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% is guaranteed to receive an A, B, C, or D respectively. These percentile scores may be adjusted downwards based on a class curve and other considerations.

Office Hours

Posted here and by appointment, S-217D SCI.

Academic Integrity

The NEIU policy on academic integrity can be found here.