2021-2022 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

PHYS 251 - Statistical Physics


This is an introductory course on statistical mechanics which starts with ensemble theory and ends with an introduction to critical phenomena. Starting from probability theory, we will derive relations between microscopic and macroscopic properties of a system. We will review basic thermodynamics and study its statistical interpretation. Methods of statistical mechanics will be used to develop Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics. During the second half of the semester, selected topics will be approached numerically and students will use computer simulations to study more complex, yet more realistic, systems.

Prerequisites: PHYS 150 , PHYS 127  & PHYS 131  

Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring