Registry

Module Specifications

Archived Version 2014 - 2015

Module Title	Statistical Physics
Module Code	PS302
School	School of Physical Sciences
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Dr Jean-Paul Mosnier	Office Number	N142
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

The aims of the module are to analyse the behaviour of large number of quantum particles using statistical methods and to show how these can be used to calculate the structure and properties of solids, liquids, gases and light.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the fundamental nature of the concepts of temperature and entropy at both the macroscopic and microscopic levels and their relationship.
2. Predict the microscopic states of systems of bosons and fermions and their total energy in the quantum and classical limits.
3. Outline the results of the particle-in-the-box model and notably the concept of density of states and its role in statiscal mechanics
4. Explain how the macroscopic properties of localised and classical particles can be obtained using the concept of partition function.
5. Outline the properties of the fermion gas in general and of the degenerate electron gas, in particular, to obtain a basic model for the structure of metals.
6. Outline the basic properties of the boson gas, in general, and of the photon gas in particular.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	In class instruction using computerised presentations.
Tutorial	6	Numerical problems and worked examples. Integrated with lecture series
Independent Study	100	Study of course material, preparation of in class tests, revision for end of semester examination
Total Workload: 130

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Lecture Series: Classical Thermodymanics
Macroscopic state of thermodynamic systems, First and Second laws: Temperature and entropy, Gibbs-Duhem equation, Thermodynamic potentials

Lecture series: states of systems of quantum particles
Microstates of individual particles, configurations of systems of particles. Distinguishable and indistinguishable particles, most probable configuration, fluctuations.

Tutorials and Worked problems
Counting, arrangements and combinations, distributions, Stirling approximation

Lecture Series: Methods of Statistical Physics
Postulates, Extremum Principle, Lagrange multipliers, Work and heat, Statistical interpretation of entropy and temperature.

Lecture Series: Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution
The partition function, Definition, Partition function and thermodymanics, Domains of validity of M.B statistics for quantum systems, Applications of Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution: The two-level system, The ideal monoatomic gas, The one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, Internal degrees of freedom, The diatomic molecule, The chemical potential of an ideal diatomic gas, Equilibrium conditions and dissociation

Tutorials and Worked problems
The Spin-flip system/paramagnets

Lecture Series: Quantum Statistics
The Ideal Fermion Gas, General Properties, Applications:Free electron theory of metals, Model for the atomic nucleus, White dwarf stars. The Ideal Boson Gas, General Properties, Applications: The Photon Gas, The Bose-Einstein Condensation

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	25%	Examination Weight	75%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
Unavailable

Indicative Reading List

Mike Glazer and Justin Wark: 2001, Statistical Mechanics A Survival Guide, First edition, Chapters 1-9, Oxford University Press, 0 19 850815 8,
Jean-Paul Mosnier/Moodle Notes/DCU: 2009, Statistical Physics,
F. Mandl: 2002, Statistical Physics, Second Edition, 2002 reprint, Chapters 1-7, 9-11, Wiley,
L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz: 2001, Statistical Physics, 3rd Edition, part1, Butterworth Heinemann,

Other Resources

Programme or List of Programmes

AP	BSc in Applied Physics
BSSA	Study Abroad (DCU Business School)
BSSAO	Study Abroad (DCU Business School)
ECSA	Study Abroad (Engineering & Computing)
ECSAO	Study Abroad (Engineering & Computing)
HMSA	Study Abroad (Humanities & Soc Science)
HMSAO	Study Abroad (Humanities & Soc Science)
PBM	BSc Physics with Biomedical Sciences
PHA	BSc in Physics with Astronomy
SHSA	Study Abroad (Science & Health)
SHSAO	Study Abroad (Science & Health)

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