Statistical Physics

Probability distribution of microstates in thermal equilibrium. Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical emsembles. Connection to thermodynamics. Ideal gas, interacting classical gases. Simple spin systems, one-dimensional Ising model in an external field. Lattice vibrations, photons, and Planck's law of radiation. Quantum statistics. Non-relativistic and relativistic fermions and bosons at high and low temperatures. Bose-Einstein condensation. Use of numerical packages for simulation and analysis of selected models from statistical physics.

Knowledge:

The course provides an introduction to statistical physics, mainly for systems in thermal equilibrium. The student should understand quantum and classical statistical mechanics for ideal systems, and be able to judge when quantum effects are important. The student should understand the connection between microphysics and thermodynamics.

Skills:

The student should be able to perform quantitative calculations on ideal systems, be able to formulate models of more realistic systems, and be able to use standard numerical packages for simulation and analysis of such.

General competence:

The student should have acquired a foundation for advanced courses in physics, specially those involving many-particle systems. The student should be able to analyze and debate problems of energy, environment and climate where fundamental principles of thermodynamics and statistical physics are relevant.

Lectures and compulsory exercises. Expected workload in the course is 225 hours.