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PHY 418: Statistical Mechanics I
Unit 3Unit 1 • Unit 2 • Unit 3 • Unit 4
Quantum Ensembles
In this unit we continue our discussion of statistical mechanics, but now applied to systems that obey quantum mechanics. We will discuss formally what we mean by a quantum ensemble, and the quantum density matrix. We will discuss how the symmetry of the wavefunction leads to two different types of particles, bosons and fermions. Most of our discussions will be based on systems of non-interacting particles (because that is the only case that is easy to solve analytically!). Yet we will see that, even for non-interacting particles, quantum statistics leads to non-classical correlations between particles. We will see that, for non-interacting particles, it is the grand canonical ensemble that is easiest to work with. We will discuss the leading quantum corrections to the classical limit, and then discuss situations where quantum effects are dominant. We will return to the problem of the specific heat of solids and see why the Law of Dulong and Petit fails. We will discuss blackbody radiation, the Sommerfeld model for conduction electrons in a metal, Pauli paramagnetism, and Bose-Einstein condensation.
Below is a list of links to course notes for each topic in this unit, followed by links to recorded video lectures. Notes and Video Lectures
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