Ph441

Energy & Entropy Capstone

Schedule of classes: Spring 2012
(page under construction)

**** ENND TREMPLATE -->
Day
Topics
Subtopics
Reading
Please read the material before
class on the given day.
1
M 4/01
Intro, strategy, hints
Nothing yet
2
W 4/04
Entropy -- "memory refresher":
Entropy in macro ("classical") thermodynamics
Temperature defined in terms of entropy
Statistical mechanics: Boltzmann's definition
Simple applications: "Microcanonical" formalism
Jansen, Stat. Mech. text 1.1-1.6
Schroeder, Ch. 6, p. 230
3
F 4/06
Microcanonical ensemble
of statistical mechanics
Schroeder, Ch. 6, 220-230
Jansen St.Mech. Ch. 2.1
4
M 4/09
Microcanonical ensemble, cont.
of statistical mechanics
Schroeder, Ch. 6, 220-230
Jansen St.Mech. Ch. 2.1
5
04/11
Canonical ensemble -- the "workhorse"
of statistical mechanics
Schroeder, Ch. 6, 220-230
Jansen St.Mech. Ch. 2.1
6
F 04/13/13
Canonical ensemble -- continued
Helmholtz Free Energy and its
relation to the partition function.
A more gerneral expression for entropy
Schroeder, Ch. 6.5
Posted Notes and copies. 2.1
WEEK 3
MWF 4/16-20
Canonical ensemble, examples
TBA


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Last Update:  04/04/12
© Department of Physics, Oregon State University, 2012.