PHY1500H S GENERAL
Statistical Mechanics

Official description

1. Brief review of thermodynamics
2. Louville's theorem and statistical ensemble
3. Basic assumptions of statistical mechanics
4. Microcanonical ensemble
5. Canonical ensemble
6. Grand canonical ensemble
7. Ideal Fermion system
8. Ideal Boson system
9. Interacting Particle System
10. Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena

B. Basics of statistical mechanics

Ensembles and probability distributions, Ergodic and mixing behavior

Entropy, definition and fundamental properties

Constraints and entropy maximum principle

Open systems, The canonical and grand canonical ensembles

Partition function and free energy, Illustrations

C. Survey of Thermodynamics

Statistical definitions of thermodynamic quantities

Statistical meaning of equilibrium, The Thermodynamic laws

Equations of state for gases

Perfect gases, including internal degrees of freedom

Imperfect gases, Phase and chemical equilibria

D. Application of statistical mechanical methods

Bose gas, Fermi gas, Photons, Phonons, Magnetism