Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Vahid Karimpour

Sharif University of Technology

Description and Prerequisites

This is a three-semester course, so each part is the prerequisite of the next part. We start from the basics of Thermodynamics (the axioms of thermodynamics and their consequences) and ends at advanced and optional topics in Statistical mechanics (e.g. nureal networks). The lecture notes of this course will be revised and uploaded as we go along, but you can see the old lecture notes below. For the second and third parts, only knowledge of the basics of quantum mechanics is assumed.

Some Useful Texts

For further study you can consult any of the following texts.

lecture Notes

These lecture notes are not complete and are being developed as I teach the course from time to time.

Thermodynamics
  • Postulates of Thermodynamics (Updated 30 Farvardin 1402, Clarification of some concepts)
  • Thermodynamic Equilibrium (Updated 1 Esfand 1401)
  • Simple Thermodynamic Systems (Updated 9th Farvarding 1402, a typo corrected, thanks to Hassan Barati)
  • Thermodynamics Processes(Updated 9th Farvardin 1402, typos corrected, thanks to Hassan Barati)
  • Principle of Minimum Energy and Legendre Transformations (updated 26 Farvardin 1402. )
  • Thermodynamic Potentials (updated 31th Farvardin 1402)
  • Maxwell Relations(updated 11 ordibehesht 1402)
  • Thermodynamic Stability (updated 11 Khordad 1402)
  • Phase Transitions(updated 17 Khordad 1402 (typoes corrected)
  • An introduction to critical phenomena(updated 19 Khordad 1402- to be completed)

    • Statistical Mechanics
  • Basic Principle of Statistical Mechanics (microcanonical ensemble) Updated on 4th of Aban (1402)
  • Canonical Ensembles (Updated 22nd Azar 1402)
  • Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution (updated 22nd Azar 1402)
  • Radiation and the Photon Gas (Updated 22nd Azar 1402)
  • Non-ideal Gases(updated 5th of Day 1402)
  • Grand Canonical Ensemble(updated 31 Farvardin 1403)
  • Quantum Statistical Mechanics (I)
  • Quantum Statistical Mechanics (II) (updated 31 Farvardin 1403)
  • Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Stars

    • Advanced Statistical Mechanics
  • A review of basic principles of Statistical Mechanics (Updated 30 Farvardin 1403)
  • Fermion gas at arbitrary temperatures (updated 30 Farvardin 1403)
  • Boson gas at arbitrary temperaturs (updated 30th Farvardin 1403)
  • Cluster Expansion
  • Spin Systems-I
  • Spin Systems-II
  • Spin Glasses and Neural Networks
  • Polymers
  • Critical phenomena and renormalization group
  • Stochastic Processes and Reaction-Diffusion Processes
    • ...
    Class Schedule and TA's.

    The class holds on Saturdays and Mondays from 10:30 till 12:00 am in room 412. We start on Saturday 14th of Bahman 1402. The TA's are:

    The times and places of TA classes are:

          The role of TA's will be to solve suitable problems for explaining in more detail the content of the course. Attending TA classes will help you to better solve the exam problems. This by no means indicate that the exam problems are identical to the problems solves in the TA classes.

    ...
    Grading Systems

    Your final grade is determined according to the following table: Each exam naturally needs that you know the material up to that exam.

    Score from 20 Date
    Midterm Exam 6 23/1/1403, 9:00 PM
    Homeworks 8 ---
    Final Exam 6 TBA

    So you have 20 points + 2 extra points for your class activity . By class activity I mean active participations in class discussions, i.e. asking good, specially critical questions and giving correct answers.