Undergraduate Course: Statistical Physics (PHYS11024)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Physics and Astronomy |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits |
10 |
| Home subject area |
Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
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| Course description |
This is a course on the statistical physics of interacting particles. We begin by reviewing the fundamental assumptions of equilibrium statistical mechanics focussing on the relation between missing information (or entropy) and probability. We then consider the statistical mechanics of interacting particles and develop important approximation schemes. This leads us to review phase transitions and the unifying phenomenology. We study in detail a simple, microscopic model for phase transitions: the Ising model. We then consider a general theoretical framework known as
Landau Theory. Finally we discuss the issue of dynamics: how does a system approach and explore the state of thermal equilibrium? How does one reconcile microscopic time reversibility with the macroscopic arrow of time?
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Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites |
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
|
Other requirements |
At least 80 credit points accrued in courses of SCQF Level 9 or 10 drawn from Schedule Q.
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| Additional Costs |
None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | 09:00 - 09:50 | | | | | King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | | 09:00 - 09:50 | | King's Buildings | Tutorial | | 2-11 | 15:00 - 17:00 | | | | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Tuesday, 09:00 - 09:50, Zone: King's Buildings. JCMB |
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 1, Part-year visiting students only (VV1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | 10:00 - 10:50 | | | | | King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | | 10:00 - 10:50 | | King's Buildings | Tutorial | | 2-11 | 15:00 - 17:00 | | | | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Tuesday, 09:00 - 09:50, Zone: King's Buildings. JCMB |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course it is intended that a student will be able to:
1) Define and distinguish between the Boltzmann and Gibbs
entropies
2) Derive the principal ensembles of Statistical Physics
by using the method of Lagrange multipliers to maximise the Gibbs entropy
3) Discuss the many-body problem and be able to formulate and motivate various approximation schemes.
4) Describe the phenomenology of phase transitions
in particular Bose-Einstein condensation, liquid-gas transition and ferromagnetic ordering.
5) Formulate the Ising model of phase transitions and be able to motivate and work out various mean-field theories
6) Articulate the paradox of the arrow of time.
7) Formulate mathematical descriptions of dynamics such as Fermi's master equation, Langevin equations and the diffusion equation; solve simple examples of such descriptions such as random walks and Brownian motion
8) Discuss and formulate fluctuation-dissipation relations and linear correlation and response theory |
Assessment Information
Degree Examination, 100%
Visiting Student Variant Assessment
Degree Examination, 100% |
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Prof Martin Evans
Tel: (0131 6)50 5294
Email: M.Evans@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Mrs Linda Grieve
Tel: (0131 6)50 5254
Email: linda.grieve@ed.ac.uk |
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copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:35 am
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