HPO option is available for this course.
Thermal physics deals with large numbers of particles, anything big enough to see with a conventional microscope. From understanding the greenhouse effect to the blackbody radiation left over from the Big Bang, no other physical theory is used more widely through out science.
This course begins with classical thermodynamics to introduce the fundamental concepts of temperature, energy, and entropy. These concepts are then used to explore free energy, heat, and the fundamental behaviour of heat engines and refrigerators. The physical and mathematical bases of statistical mechanics, in which the laws of statistics are used to make the connection between the quantum behaviour of 1 atom and the behaviour of bulk matter made up of 10^23 atoms, are then introduced. This leads to the statistical physics concepts of temperature, entropy, Boltzmann and Gibbs factors, partition functions, and distribution functions. These concepts are applied to both classical and quantum systems, including phase transformations, blackbody radiation, and Fermi gases.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. Identify and describe the statistical nature of concepts and laws in thermodynamics, in particular: entropy, temperature, chemical potential, Free energies, partition functions.
2. Use the statistical physics methods, such as Boltzmann distribution, Gibbs distribution, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions to solve problems in some physical systems.
3. Apply the concepts and principles of black-body radiation to analyze radiation phenomena in thermodynamic systems.
4. Apply the concepts and laws of thermodynamics to solve problems in thermodynamic systems such as gases, heat engines and refrigerators etc.
5. Analyze phase equilibrium condition and identify types of phase transitions of physical systems.
6. Make connections between applications of general statistical theory in various branches of physics.
7. Design, set up, and carry out experiments; analyse data recognising and accounting for errors; and compare with theoretical predictions.
Indicative Assessment
Assessment will be based on:
- Weekly problem sheets and/or quizzes to assess abilities to analyse problems, identify approaches to solutions, and apply the concepts and mathematical formalisms of thermal physics (35%; LO 1-6)
- An extended research assignment resulting in a paper and a presentation, providing an opportunity to focus on a chosen aspect of thermal physics, thus allowing students to gain a deeper appreciation of the structure and applications of thermal physics (15%; LO 1-6)
- Laboratory component to evaluate understanding of the significance of particular experimental results and the ability to integrate theoretical and experimental work (20%; LO 2, 3, 4, 7)
- Final exam (30%; LO 1-6)
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
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Workload
A total of approximately twenty-eight lectures and thirty hours of tutorials and laboratory work.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
An Introduction to Thermal Physics, Daniel V Schroeder. Published by Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.
Assumed Knowledge
It is desirable that students take MATH2305 or MATH2405 simultaneously with PHYS2013 unless they have previously completed MATH2023, but it is not a course requirement.Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4050 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3834 | 24 Feb 2020 | 02 Mar 2020 | 08 May 2020 | 05 Jun 2020 | In Person | View |