Physics 408, Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Joseph Ross

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University

Fall 2021



General course information and notes:

This course will follow the general order of topics in the course text, which is Callen, Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics (2nd Edition).
Reading assignments will be primarily from the text, supplemented by course notes and occasional other readings.
For more details see the Course Syllabus: here.

Course handouts and slides:

Introduction and topics in ch. 1, 2, 15:
Slides from Aug. 31, Sept. 1, Sept. 2;
Slides from Sept. 7, Sept. 8, Sept. 9;
Slides from Sept. 14, Sept. 16.

chapters 2-3; equations of state, blackbody radiation, vdW gases:
Slides from Sept. 21, Sept. 23, Sept. 28;
Slides from Sept. 30, Oct. 5.

chapters 4-7; work and cycles, thermodynamic potentials:
Slides from Oct. 7, Oct. 12, Oct. 14;
Slides from Oct. 19, Oct. 20.

chapter 16, canonical ensemble; paramagnets; classical gases, Debye phonons, EM radiation:
Slides from Oct. 21, Oct. 27, Oct. 28;
Slides from Nov. 2, Nov. 3, Nov. 4;
Slides from Nov. 9, Nov. 10.

chapter 9, phase transformations:
Slides from Nov. 11, Nov. 16, Nov. 17.

chapter 17-18, grand canonical and quantum gases:
Slides from Nov. 18, Nov. 23, Nov. 30;
Slides from Dec. 1, Dec. 2.

Review slides:
Dec. 7.

Homework:

    Homework 1.
    Homework 2.
    Homework 3.
    Homework 4.
    Homework 5.
    Homework 6.
    Homework 7.
    Homework 8.
    Homework 9.
    Homework 10.
    Homework 11.

Further information:

In case of problems email me at .


A few other links:
PhysicsWorld.
APS Physics spotlight page..
Amercan Physical Society homepage.

J. H. Ross' home page.
Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Texas A&M University.



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