This undergraduate course in Statistical Physics features lecture notes, problem sets with solutions, plus exams and practice exams with solutions. Course topics include probability, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics; random variables, joint and conditional probability densities, and functions of a random variable; concepts of macroscopic variables and thermodynamic equilibrium, fundamental assumption of statistical mechanics, microcanonical and canonical ensembles; and first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics. Examples illustrate a wide variety of physical phenomena such as magnetism, polyatomic gases, thermal radiation, electrons in solids, and noise in electronic devices.
Date Record Checked: 2005-05-10 00:00:00