Course syllabus adopted 2025-02-20 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).
Overview
- Swedish nameTermodynamik och statistisk mekanik
- CodeFTF141
- Credits7.5 Credits
- OwnerTKTFY
- Education cycleFirst-cycle
- Main field of studyEngineering Physics
- ThemeEnvironment 1.5 c
- DepartmentPHYSICS
- GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail
Course round 1
- Teaching language Swedish
- Application code 57114
- Maximum participants180
- Open for exchange studentsNo
- Only students with the course round in the programme overview.
Credit distribution
Module | Sp1 | Sp2 | Sp3 | Sp4 | Summer | Not Sp | Examination dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0122 Examination 7.5 c Grading: TH | 7.5 c |
In programmes
- TKTEM - Engineering Mathematics, Year 3 (compulsory)
- TKTFY - Engineering Physics, Year 3 (compulsory)
Examiner
Henrik Grönbeck- Full Professor, Chemical Physics, Physics
Eligibility
General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Specific entry requirements
The same as for the programme that owns the course.Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Course specific prerequisites
Classical mechanics and basic quantum physics. Multivariabel analysis. Basic probability theory and statistics.
Aim
The purpose of the course is to provide basic knowledge about thermodynamic relations and statistical distributions, so that the student after finished course will be able to apply these laws to various practical problems and also be able to assimilate new scientific and technical information in order to attack novel and more complicated technological problems.
Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
After completing the course, the student should be able to explain the concepts of energy, heat, work and entropy and be able to perform thermodynamic calculations for quasi-static processes. The students must be able to explain the basics of phase equilibrium and the concept of free energy. The students must also be able to explain the relationship between the microscopic description of statistical mechanics and classical thermodynamics and be able to perform calculations with partition functions.Content
Basic thermodynamic concepts as equilibrium, reversible and irreversible processes, state functions, heat and work. Statistical description of many-body systems and the concept of multiplicity and entropy. The laws of thermodynamics. Application of thermodynamics to heat engines, refrigerators and heat pumps. Thermodynamic potentials, free energies and chemical potential. Phase equilibrium in one and two-component systems. Microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles. Equipartition theorem. Maxwell velocity distribution. Applications to classical ideal gases, lattice vibrations, paramagnetism and adsorption problems. Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distribution functions for ideal quantum gases and density of states. Applications to electrons in metals and in semi-conductors. Planck distribution, blackbody radiation and heat balance applied to the earth atmosphere.
Organisation
Instruction is given in the form of lectures and problem-solving sessions. These are supplemented by one compulsory experimental exercise.
Literature
Daniel V. Schroeder: An Introduction to Thermal Physics (Oxford University Press).
Examination including compulsory elements
The course ends with a written exam including questions that probe conceptual understanding and problem solving skills. During the course there is two home assignments, which may give points for the exam. The experimental exercise is compulsory.
The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers about disability study support.