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Module MA3444: Statistical Physics II

Credit weighting (ECTS)
5 credits
Semester/term taught
Hilary term 2017-18
Contact Hours
11 weeks, 3 lectures including tutorials per week
Lecturer
Prof Dmytro Volin
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
  • Explain the difference between fermions and bosons and work out the consequences for N-particle systems at low temperatures;
  • Make content with the classical regime at high temperatures and or low particle densities;
  • Apply the formalism of statistical physics to systems without particle number conservation (e.g. photons, phonons);
  • Apply the formalism of quantum statistical physics to simple model systems;
  • Apply the formalism of thermodynamics to magnetic/spin systems;
  • Do a mean field analysis of spin systems;
  • Solve the 1-dimensional Ising model, and show familiarity with Peierl's argument in 2 dimensions
 
Module Content
Suggested Literature
1. Kerson Huang, 'Introduction to Statistical Physics'
2. L.D. Landau, E.M. Lifshitz, 'Statistical Physics'
3. James P. Sethna, 'Statistical Mechanics: Entropy, Order Parameters and Complexity'
4. Lectures of Leonard Susskind on YouTube
5. Wikipedia 
Module Prerequisite
MA3443 - Statistical Physics I
Assessment Detail
This module will be examined in a 2-hour examination in Trinity term. The continuous assessment percentage contribution to the annual results is 20%. Supplemental exam if required will consist of 100% exam.