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PHY 418: Statistical Mechanics I
Prof. S. Teitel: stte@pas.rochester.edu ---- Spring 2021

Course Information

Basics:	Since this is an online course, it is essential that you have reasonable internet access so that you can access the course materials on this website. It is also essential that you have the ability to scan or take a digital photo of your work, so that you can electronically upload your homework and exam solutions. Hopefully your internet access is sufficiently good that you will be able to participate in video discussion sessions and office hours via Zoom. If you need to phone in to the Zoom Meetings, which allows you to hear audio only, please contact Prof. Teitel for the phone number. While most of the course material is on this website, some features require you to first login to the University's Blackboard system using your University NetID. You will need to do this to view lecture videos, post to Discussion Boards, upload homework, and view your grades. See Technical Information and Support for information about using Blackboard and Zoom.
Instructors:	See the Instructors page for contact information and office hours.
Course Materials:	All course notes and pre-recorded video lectures will be posted on this website. To view them, go to the Unit Topics page. For convenience, these are also listed on the Notes page and the Videos page. The Calendar page tells you the timeline for progressing through the material and gives due dates for assignments. To view videos, post on the discussion boards, and upload homework, you must first log in to the University's Blackboard system using your UR NetID.
Discussion Sessions:	Prof. Teitel will lead a live weeky discussion session on Zoom, Wed. 10:25 - 11:40 am. Use the link in the navigation menu on the left to find the Zoom Meeting link. Your participation in these discussion sessions is recommended but not required. Attendance will not be taken. Discussion sessions will be recorded and the link to the recording posted on the class calendar, so if you cannot attend you can still see what was discussed.
Textbooks:	Recommended (not required):   Statistical Mechanics, by R.K. Pathria and P.D. Beale (available online via the POA here) Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics, by H.B. Callen Also on reserve in the POA Library:   Statistical Mechanics in a Nutshell, by L. Peliti Statistical Physics of Particles, by M. Kardar Statistical Physics, 3rd edition part 1, by L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz Equilibrium Statistical Physics, 2nd edition, by M. Plischke and B. Bergersen Statistical Mechanics, 2nd edition, by K. Huang A Modern Course in Statistical Physics, 4th edition, by L.E. Reichl The texts by Pathria and Beale, by Peliti, by Plischke and Bergersen, and by Reichl are available online via the POA here. You must be logged in with your URNetID to get access. If your background is weak, and you want an undergraduate level text to read, a nice text is:   Statistical and Thermal Physics: With Computer Applications, by H. Gould and J. Tobochnik (available online here)
Exams:	Midterm Exam: Wednesday, March 24, 10:25am - 12:25pm. Endterm Exam: Wednesday, May 12, 12:30 - 2:30pm. The Endterm Exam will focus on the material since the Midterm Exam. You will download the exam from Blackboard and must upload your solutions back to Blackboard. The exam will be closed book, but you may bring a "cheat sheet". No notes, books, internet resources, or consulations with others are allowed, but you may bring a single 8.5"x11" sheet of paper on which you have written whatever notes you like; you may write on only one side of the page. More instructions will be given closer to the time of the exam.
Homework:	Homework must be handed in on time, uploaded to the Blackboard system. If for some reason you are having a problem with Blackboard, then email your work directly to Prof. Teitel. Late homework will be penalized at the discretion of the instructors. All homework must be handed in, even if too late to receive credit, for you to receive a grade in the course. Any request for an extension on the homework should be made by email before the due date of the assignment. Working through the homework problems is the best way to learn the material in this course. When writing up your solutions, please be sure to include sentences to explain your steps -- that will make it easier for the grader to give you partial credit when you have made a mistake. You must upload your solutions to the Blackboard system, using the upload link given in the Problem Set. You must collate your solutions into a single, multi-page, pdf file. Do not sent multiple files, or jpg images. Homeworks will be graded by the Teaching Assistant. If you have a question or complaint about how you were graded, you must first contact the TA. If you cannot get satisfaction from the TA, you are then welcome to contact Prof. Teitel.
Discussion Questions:	Most weeks there will be a Discussion Question posed, relating to the material in the course notes. The Discussion Question for the week can be found at the top of the Problem Set for that week. You must upload to the appropriate Discussion Board your response to this question each week by Tuesday, 5pm, and these will form part of the content of our weekly Wednesday Discussion Sessions. You cannot see other students' responses until you have uploaded your own. You cannot edit your response after it has been submitted. Your responses to the Discussion Questions will determine the Participation component of your course grade. Your response will be graded on the following scale: 0 = no response, 1 = minimal effort, 2 = reasonable effort, 3 = nailed it.
Academic Honesty:	Your replies to Discussion Questions should be made on your own, without consultation with your classmates or others. However, for Problem Sets, you are strongly encouraged to discuss homework problems with your classmates and to work together, but you may not consult with anyone outside the course. After working on problems with classmates, you must write up your solutions independently on your own. Outside consultations, or direct copying of a classmate's work, or copying from solutions obtained elsewhere, are not permitted. Similarly, any use of notes, books, internet resources, or consultations with any others on exams is not permitted, except for the one page cheat sheet described above. Any transgression of these rules will be regarded as a violation of academic honesty. See the University's general Academic Honesty Policy for further information; then you must click here to confirm your acceptance of the Academic Honesty Policy.
Grading:	You grade in the course will be determined by your performance according to the weights below. Note that the homework counts as the largest weight. Missing a homework assignment, and so getting a zero on it, is the best way to do poorly in the course. Homework: 40% Participation: 10% Midterm Exam: 25% Endterm Exam: 25%
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