STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS
Teaching by: Stavros Farantos
Text books:
- K. Denbigh Principles of Chemical Equilibrium (Cambridge University, Cambridge 1981)
- D. A. McQuarrie, Statistical Mechanics (Harper & Row, NY 1976)
- L. E. Reichl, A Modern Course in Statistical Physics (University of Texas, Austin 1980)
Outline:
I. THERMODYNAMICS
- State Variables
- Thermodynamic Laws
- State Laws
- Chemical Potential
- Thermodynamic Stability
II. THERMODYNAMIC SYSTEMS
- Solutions and Chemical Systems
- Dielectrics
- Electrochemical Systems
III. INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL MECHANICS
- Basic Probability Theory (Random variables, distributions, moments, central limit theorem)
- Microscopic Theories (Classical Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics)
IV. STATISTICAL ENSEMBLES
- Ergodic Hypothesis and Microcanonical Ensemble
- Canonical Ensemble (Perfect gas with independent degrees of freedom)
- Grand Canonical Ensemble (Mixtures and chemical equilibrium)
- Quantum Statistics (Black body, ideal electron gas)
V. INTRODUCTION TO INTERACTING SYSTEMS
- Distribution Functions
- Introduction to many-body methods
(Diagrammatic techniques, mean field theory)