Instructor: Steve Sternberg

305 HH 777-2337

sternber@prairie.nodak.edu

"Statistical Thermodynamics," Schrodinger, 1989 (orig. 1946)

• Become familiar with the basic principles of statistical mechanics.
  • Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Mechanics
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Ensembles
  • Ergodic Hypothesis
  • Statistics of Large Numbers
• Estimate and Calculate thermophysical properties based on molecular level fundamentals.
• Understand basics of computer simulation of properties -- Monte Carlo and molecular dynamic methods.

Exams (2 at 15%) 30%

Final 30%

Project 20%

Homework 5%

Student Presentation 15%

Exams and final will be open book, open notes.

The project will consist of a computer simulation of the thermodynamic state of a material. Additional details will be discussed in class.

Homework will not be graded. However, credit will be given to students when they give solutions to the rest of the class at the board (this is an informal type of presentation).

Student Presentations will consist of groups of two students presenting material from the book to the rest of the class. The idea here is that the best way to learn something, is to teach it to others. Student groups will be required to have their presentation material ready one week in advance, and then to schedule a meeting with me in order to discuss the material and its presentation. Presentations should be informal, chalk board style (no suit, no overheads, no computer presentations.)

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