Courses may be offered in one of the following modalities:
If you are enrolled in courses delivered in traditional or hybrid modalities, you will be expected to attend face-to-face instruction as scheduled.
| Semester: | Fall 2025 |
| Number: | 0156-263-001 |
| Instructor: | Kevin Liang |
| Days: | Monday Wednesday Friday 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm |
| Note: | Traditional In-Person Class |
| Location: | Garden City - Nexus Building 275 |
| Credits: | 3 |
| Course Materials: | View Text Books |
| Description: |
Building on first-year thermodynamics knowledge, students will explore statistical mechanics to understand how bulk macroscopic properties result from ensemble averages of microscopic arrangements. Students will study probabilistic methods, ensembles, partition functions, and applications of such mathematical tools to relevant physical systems (solids, gases, bosons, fermions, electron gases, magnetic materials, etc.). |
| Learning Goals: |
Students will be able to:Explain the connection between microscopic and macroscopic phenomena.Distinguish the use of statistical mechanics to understand different physical systems like bosons, fermions, solids, gases, etc., while keeping in mind that the fundamental tools in understanding each of them are the same. (C4)Relate statistical/probabilistic models to well-known classical thermodynamic models, thereby establishing a strong foundation in how bulk macroscopic properties of physical systems arise. (C4)Apply computational and statistical methods in physical models through the use of computational software (MATLAB). (T5)Distinguish between microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles and their applications/limitations in describing microscopic phenomena.Demonstrate the use of ubiquitous physical concepts (harmonic oscillator model for solids, large particle limits, etc.) in order to build their understanding of physics holistically. (C2, C3, T1, T2)Physics Concepts:C1. Conservation lawsC2. Harmonic oscillationsC3. Potential energy and amp; changeC4. Focus on basic laws regardless of problem complexity.Physics Tools:T1. Bases (geometrical, temporal, etc.)T2. Approximations (linear systems, etc.)T3. Physics is an experimental science (equipment, testing, uncertainty, etc.)T4. Physics fluency (scientific writing, speaking, literacy, notation)T5. Computation and modeling *The learning goals displayed here are those for one section of this course as offered in a recent semester, and are provided for the purpose of information only. The exact learning goals for each course section in a specific semester will be stated on the syllabus distributed at the start of the semester, and may differ in wording and emphasis from those shown here. |
| Prerequisites: |
» View Other Sections of this Course