Notes for Statistical Mechanics I

This will contain PDF files for the class notes. They will be posted after we complete a one- to-two week section of material:

  • Part 1: Classical Mechanics, Newtonian, Lagrangian, and Hamiltonian formulations, Exact differentials, Canonical Transformations
  • Part 2: Combinatorics, Basic Probabilities, Continuous Distributions, The Central Limit Theorem, Time and Ensemble averages, The Ergodic Hypothesis, Poisson Brackets, Liouville’s Theorem, Ensembles
  • Part 3: Boltzmann factors, Partition Functions, Distinguishable vs. Indistinguishable molecules, Solving molecular partition functions: Translational, Vibrational, Rotational, Electronic, Polyatomic molecules
  • Part 4: Connecting thermodynamic functions and partition functions, Reactions and the Grand Canonical Ensemble, Statistics of Quantum particles, The Debye Model and Phonon Densities of States, Chemical Equilibrium