5.70/10.546 Statistical Thermodynamics
Fall 2013
Instructors: Jianshu Cao, Adam P. Willard
Lecture: MW8.30-10 (8-205)
Subject Description:
Develops classical equilibrium statistical mechanical concepts for application to chemical physics problems. Basic concepts of ensemble theory formulated on the basis of thermodynamic fluctuations. Examples of applications include Ising models, lattice models of binding, ionic and non-ionic solutions, liquid theory, polymer and protein conformations, phase transition, and pattern formation. Introduces computational techniques with examples of liquid and polymer simulations.
Announcements
Corrections to Final, 4
Class,At risk of sounding ridiculous, there are a couple more errors caught on the final. In part 4 of question 1, the sign of \Delta \epsilon has been corrected to ensure that the quantity is positive. In part 2 of question 4, the definition of the average extension has been corrected (was missing natural log of the partition function).
-Thomas
Announced on 13 December 2013 5:40 p.m. by Thomas Robert Avila
office hours today
My office hour today will begin at 3:00pm instead of the usual 2:00pm.Adam
Announced on 13 December 2013 12:28 p.m. by Adam P. Willard
Corrections to Final, 3
Class,One more correction: several of the subscripts in part 4 of problem 1 were switched around. These have been corrected in the uploaded file.
-Thomas
Announced on 12 December 2013 3:21 p.m. by Thomas Robert Avila
quantum mechanics reference
Problem 3 of the final exam (especially parts 3-5) requires some basic knowledge of quantum mechanics. If you have not taken a quantum course, you can email me or find help in an introductory textbook such as 'modern quantum mechancs' by Sakurai. Good luck!
Jianshu
Announced on 11 December 2013 11:43 p.m. by Jianshu Cao
Corrections to Final, 2
Class,There have been some additional revisions to question 3 on the final. Please see the newly updated pdf under the Assignments tab.
Note that in part 4 of problem 3, the correct equation for the temperature-dependent effective tunneling constant is
\tilde{k} = k ( 1 - \beta m \omega^2 g^2 )
Sorry for the inconvenience. Good luck!
-Thomas
Announced on 11 December 2013 4:19 p.m. by Thomas Robert Avila
