Physics 112, Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Book: The recommended book for the course is Thermal Physics by Kittel and Kroemer. This is actually the second edition. The first edition, which I slightly prefer, is just by Kittel. The first edition is no longer in print but you might be able to find a second hand copy on Amazon or elsewhere. Either edition will do.

My Office Hour: Fridays 1:00-2:00 pm, in ISB 212, and at other times by appointment. *** Note the new day ***

TA: Eric Carlson, erccarls@ucsc.edu, in ISB 262.

Discussion Section: Thursdays 6:00--7:10 p.m. in Physical Sciences 110.

TA's Office Hour: Mondays 2:30-3:30 pm, in ISB 262. *** Note the new day ***

Final Exam: Tuesday, March 20, 12:00-3:00 p.m.

Solutions: Typed homework solutions will be posted on the class website. You need a password to access them. The username is 112 and the password will be announced in class.

Table of contents:

• Course Description
  
• Homework:
  • Homework 1     solutions
  • Homework 2     solutions
  • Homework 3     (omit Qu. (6)) solutions
  • Homework 4     solutions
  • Homework 5    
• Handouts:
  • The generalized free energy is a minimum in equilibrium
  • The single particle density of states
  • Various free energies
  • Classical Ideal Gas
  • Evaluation of an Integral
  • Maxwell velocity distribution
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Magnetic phase transitions
  • You can see a video of phase separation occuring in Benzene as it is cooled at http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/jcesoft/cca/cca0/MOVIES/BENZENE3.html. You need quicktime to view it. You get some explanation of what is going on at http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/jcesoft/cca/CCA2/MAIN/BENZENE/CD2R1.HTM (though the links to movies in this page don't work). You can get more hits if you type "critical point of benzene" into Google.
• Exams:
  • Practice Midterm (with solutions)  
  • Midterm   solutions     histogram of scores

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