| Unit name | Statistical Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MATH34300 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Liverpool |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Mechanics 1; cannot be taken with physics units Thermal Physics 203 or Statistical Physics 303 due to overlap |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Mathematics |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
The unit begins with a discussion of thermodynamics, the macroscopic (large scale) laws of heat. In contrast to mecanical systems, thermodynamics is fundamentally irreversible, so for example processes like thermal quilibration, combustion, and mixing can occur spontaneously, but the reverse processes never occur without external input. This leads to fixed constraints on the capabilities of (for example) engines, fridges and living organisms. The remainder of the unit ("statistical mechanics") deals with the microscopic basis of thermodynamis, that is, explaining large scale properties from properties of individual molecules. Although the dynamical equations can be solved exactly in only a very few cases, the very large number of particles means that statisitcal assumptions are often justified, making a strongly predictive and irreversible theory from recerisbly mecanics. Both equilibrium and non-equilibrium situations will be covered, ending with a brief discussion of numerical simulation methods.
