Physics 455

Statistical Mechanics

Introduction to quantum statistical mechanics and its application to systems of varying complexity from the simple ideal gas to the degenerate gas. Quantum fluids, phase transitions and simulation methods will also be introduced. Prerequisite: PHYS 157. [0-0-0;3-0-0]

Lectures: Chem 126 - MWF 10:30

Tutorials: To Be Arranged on Demand...

Instructor: Jess H. Brewer
Office: Hennings 320A, tel 822-6455
Lab: (TRIUMF) 222-1047
Office Hours: Thursday 08:30-10:30 or any time you can find me, either in my office or in Henn 222 (knock loudly; I may be at the other end of the room)

Marker: Benoit Leduc
Marker's Office Hours: To Be Announced

Marking: (Tentative!)

Textbook: Charles Kittel & Herbert Krömer (K&K), Thermal Physics, 2^nd Ed. (Freeman, 1980).

The text has a good set of references (see pp. xv-xvii) for Statistical and Thermal Physics and applications thereof. The following supplementary list covers a few related topics.

• Other good Statistical Mechanics and/or Thermal Physics texts:
• David S. Betts and Roy E. Turner, Introductory Statistical Mechanics (Addison Wesley, 1992). This was the textbook for Physics 303 in Fall 1996.
• R. Kubo, H. Ichimura, T. Usui and N. Hashizume, Statistical Mechanics - an Advanced Course (North Holland, 1965). This excellent "problems with solutions" text has recently been reissued.
• M. Plischke and B. Bergersen, Equilibrium Statistical Physics, 2^nd Ed. (World Scientific, 1994). This book is intended for a graduate level course, but some of the Physics 303 course material was taken from it since one of the authors was teaching the course!
• F. Reif, Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics (McGraw Hill, 1965). This is the book from which I learned Stat Mech long ago; it was also the Physics 303 text for many years. In addition to being a little out of date, it follows the historically accurate development of Stat Mech rather than the conceptually simpler approach of K&K, who use quantum mechanics from the outset.
• Quantum Mechanics:
• A.P. French & E.F. Taylor, An Introduction to Quantum Physics (Norton, 1978).
• Modern Physics generally:
• Kenneth S. Krane, Modern Physics (Wiley, 1983).
• Frank J. Blatt, Modern Physics (mcGraw-Hill, 1992).
• R.P. Feynman, R.B. Leighton & M. Sands, The Feynman Lectures on Physics (Addison-Wesley, 1965).
• R. Resnick & D. Halliday, Basic Concepts in Relativity and Early Quantum Theory, 2^nd Ed. (1985) - good for the basics.
• Philosophy of Science and related stuff:
• Any and all philosophical works of Karl Popper and/or Michael Polanyi.
• Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
• Richard P. Feynman, The Character of Physical Law.
• Richard P. Feynman, Quantum Electrodynamics.
• First Year texts with Modern Physics topics:
• Paul A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists & Engineers, 3^rd Ed., Extended (Worth, 1991).

You may sometimes wish to explore interesting topics further; I will be glad to suggest sources.

ASSIGNMENTS will be posted on the P455 WebCT site and/or handed out on paper at the Wednesday lecture each week. Each problem set (except the first, which can be handed in anytime before the last class) is to be handed in by the beginning of the lecture one week later; solutions will be provided at that time, so the deadline will be strictly enforced with the following exception: Each student may turn in one assignment after the deadline with only a modest penalty; once this quota is used, the remaining assignments must be submitted on time to be marked.

Where feasible, the solutions will be posted on the Web site. We are still experimenting with electronic submission, so for the time being only the first assignment must be submitted electronically (just to ensure that everyone is "wired in"); others can be written out on paper and handed in manually the old-fashioned way - OR you can try processing them into L^AT_EX or Postscript files which can be transmitted by E-mail as plain text files. I expect this to be more trouble for you than it's worth, but it does have the advantage of "remote submission" in case you are unable to meet the deadline in person.

• All multi-page assignments must be stapled together.
• Most problems should be accompanied by a diagram.
• Brief explanatory comments are required for every problem.
• Presentation is important! Leave plenty of room and organise your paper æsthetically. Do not write lightly with a hard-lead pencil or use minute printing - handwritten characters should be at least as large as those on a typical typewriter. Remember, an annoyed and frustrated marker is an unsympathetic marker.
• Assignments, like exams, may occasionally include brief essays. On those occasions you will be marked on the quality of your writing as well as the validity of your arguments. Bad grammar or spelling will not be tolerated.

The good news: I will count only the best 8 assignment marks, out of 10-12 total. (I plan 12, but something may go wrong.)

MIDTERM:

As mentioned earlier, you have a choice of whether to take the Midterm or to do a Term Project instead. Although Term projects are more interesting and potentially more rewarding, I have to advise that they almost always have a lower specific yield: the time and effort spent on a Term Project would almost certainly bring a higher mark if spent on studying for the Midterm instead! Also the exam-taking practice is better preparation for the Final, which counts for half your mark. So don't do a Term Project for the mark; but if you are inspired to try something original and have been looking for an excuse, this is your chance. It must, of course, be clearly related to Statistical Mechanics - although the relationship might be "unconventional."

THE FINAL EXAM will cover the same material as the Midterm plus the material treated in the last half (third) of the course.

EXCUSES: The University has defined criteria for absence from exams or failure to complete all the work for a course. I will observe those criteria and no others, so please familiarize yourself with them in advance, even if you do not plan to be sick or have other problems; if misfortune strikes, your burden will be partly relieved by a knowledge of your privileges and responsibilities.

My policy with respect to missed Midterms is as follows: If you can document a valid excuse, you have three choices:

1. You can have the midterm discounted. That is, you get a zero mark for the midterm but your final mark will be multiplied by 100/(100 - M) where M is how much the Midterm normally counts (tentatively, 20).
2. You can do a Term Project instead of the Midterm. (See above.)
3. You can have an oral exam where I get to ask questions for 50 minutes to see how much you know. This is actually pretty good practice for later ordeals like job interviews or qualifying exams, but most people find it a little stressful....

Perhaps the most difficult part of my job is finding a balance between standards and fairness. No two people have the same set of abilities, and yet, as we mature, we all learn how to make the best of our own unique combinations of strengths and weaknesses; the amazing thing is that "the best" is remarkably uniform among a selected group of high achievers like yourselves. In athletics it is much the same: at any given level of competition, the times in the 100 m dash (for example) are all within a few percent of each other. This makes it possible to set well defined standards without being entirely arbitrary, even though one can never achieve perfect fairness.

To extend the sport metaphor, I like to think of myself as a coach rather than a therapist or a lawyer: beyond the primary task of teaching the subject, it is my job to help you discover what you are capable of achieving and to offer you honest and accurate evaluations of your performance, not to soothe your self-esteem or to eliminate all injustices.