FY509: Thermal physics (10 ECTS)

STADS: 07004501

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.
3rd and 4th. quarter.

Teacher responsible
Email: jbp@ifk.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
steen@ifk.sdu.dk
ipsen@memphys.sdu.dk
svt@ifk.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
FY507 Introductory Quantum or KE512 must be followed simultaneously at the latest.

Course introduction
The course gives an introduction to the fundamental concepts of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics and shows their applications to selected physical and chemical systems and to the interpretation of experiments.

Expected learning outcome


Subject overview
The course consists of two parts, of 5 ECTS points each.

Part 1:
The main topics are thermodynamics, basic statistical mechanics and quantum statistics.

- The basic concepts of thermal dynamics (state functions, first and second law of thermodynamics, thermodynamics potentials and response functions) are derived and discussed using simple examples e.g. the ideal gas.
- Basic relations between equilibrium fluctuations and susceptibility are examined.
- Equilibrium conditions
- Micro- and macro-canonical partition functions and ensembles are introduced and related to the fundamental principles of thermodynamics.
- The statistical mechanics of the monoatomic ideal gas is developed from the quantum and classical description of the particles.
- Fermi and Bose statistics: Fermi energy, heat capacity and Fermi gases, Einstein and Debye theory of phonons, black-body radiation.
- Further examples considered: surface absorption, Langmuir isotherms, Ising paramagnetic model.
- An obligatory report on the relation between thermodynamics and statistical mechanics is to be written by groups of 1 or 2 students.

Part 2:
The topics are applications of statistical mechanics to simple, realistic systems, e.g. quantum systems, phase and chemical equilibria, and the mean field theory of interacting systems. This part starts with experimental exercises that illustrates the importance of Fermi-Dirac statistics for the description of the properties of solids. A written report is written by groups of 1 or 2 students. The report must contain: the needed theory, the measured data, and an interpretation of the data.
- Vibration and rotation spectra for diatomic molecules.
- Eistein’s and Debye’s theories of lattice vibrations
- Black body radiation and Bose-Einstein condensation
- Phase equilibrium, chemical equilibrium, the law of mass action.
- Phase changes are discussed, using e.g. the Van der Waals equation of state.
- Mean field theory of interacting systems: Ising model of ferro-magnetism and Debye-H¸ckel theory of diluted ionic solutions.

Literature

• A.H. Carter: Classical and Statistical thermodynamics. .

Syllabus
See syllabus.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:


The marks from the 2 parts each accounts for 50% of the total grade.

If the total grade is below 2, the student must take a reexam in the part(s) which is below 2. However is the total grade -3, partexaminations must always be retaken.

Re-examination (Part 1) after 4th quarter.
Re-examination (Part 2) after 2nd quarter.
The mode of exam at the re-examination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

22+20 = 42 forelæsninger. 20 + 22 = 42 eksaminatorietimer/opgaveregning. 8 laboratorieøvelser.
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.