PHYS-254 Thermal and Statistical Physics

Faculty:

Skelton, Earl

The first half of this course deals with classical thermodynamics; the second half deals with its historical derivative, statistical mechanics. Topics to be covered include exact and inexact differentials, the Zeroth, First, Second, and Third Laws of Thermodynamics; energy transport via work, heat, and mass flow; closed and open systems; various power and refrigeration cycles; the Carnot cycle and entropy; properties of pure substances; phase transformations; equations of state; reversible and irreversible processes; exergy and entropy generation minimization; thermodynamic potential functions; Lagrange multipliers; Legendre transformations; the kinetic theory of gases; classical and quantum statistical thermodynamics; Bose-Einstein, Maxwell-Boltzmann, and Fermi-Dirac statistics; black body radiation; heat capacities of gases and solids; Einstein and Debye temperatures.

Credits: 4

Prerequisites: PHYS-150 and either PHYS-217 or -253, or permission of the instructor.

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2004-2005 Fall and Spring
• 2005-2006 Fall and Spring
• 2006-2007 Fall and Spring
• 2007-2008 Fall and Spring
• 2008-2009 Fall and Spring
• 2010-2011 Fall and Spring
• 2011-2012 Fall and Spring
• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring
• 2013-2014 Fall and Spring

More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.

The academic department web site for this program may provide other details about this course.