PHYS 302(S) Statistical Physics (Q)
You understand the interactions among fundamental particles (Newton's and Coulomb's laws, the Schrodinger equation, etc.) but how do these interactions determine the behavior of macroscopic objects, which are made up of huge numbers of such particles? This is a rather critical question for understanding the world around us. In this course we will develop the tools of statistical physics, which will allow us to predict the cooperative phenomena that emerge in large ensembles of interacting particles. We will apply those tools to a wide variety of physical questions, including the behavior of gasses, heat engines, magnets, and electrons in solids.
Format: lecture/discussion, three hours per week; laboratory, three hours per week. Evaluation will be based on weekly problem sets, exams, and labs, all of which have a substantial quantitative component.
Prerequisites: Physics 142, Physics 210, Physics 301. No enrollment limit (expected: 15).
Hour: S. BOLTON