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PHY 418: Statistical Mechanics I
Prof. S. Teitel: stte@pas.rochester.edu ---- Spring 2025

Course Information

Basics:	Since a lot of the materials for this course is online, 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 solutions for the TAs to grade. 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 and your UR Active Directory password. You will need to do this to view lecture videos, upload homework, and view your grades.
Instructors:	See the Instructors page for contact information and office hours.
Lectures:	Monday and Wednesday 10:25-11:40am in BL 269
Course Materials:	All course notes and pre-recorded video lectures will be posted on this website. To view the notes, go to the Notes page; to view the videos, go to the Videos page. The Calendar page tells you the timeline for progressing through the material and gives due dates for assignments. To view videos and upload homework you must first log in to the University's Blackboard system using your UR NetID and your UR Active Directory password.
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 (available online via the POA here) Statistical Physics of Particles, by M. Kardar Statistical Physics, 3rd edition part 1, by L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz (available online via the POA here) Equilibrium Statistical Physics, 2nd edition, by M. Plischke and B. Bergersen (available online via the POA here) Statistical Mechanics, 2nd edition, by K. Huang A Modern Course in Statistical Physics, 4th edition, by L.E. Reichl (available online via the POA here) You must be logged in to the University Library system with your UR Active Directory password to get access to the online texts. 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 26, 9:40-11:40am in BL 269 Endterm Exam: Thursday, May 8, 12:30 - 2:30pm in BL 269 The Endterm Exam will focus on the material since the Midterm Exam. 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. You may see problems from previous years' exams by going to those class websites, found here.
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 to Prof. Teitel 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 on the Problem Set Uploads page in Blackboard. 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 Assistants. 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.
Academic Honesty:	You are strongly encouraged to discuss homework problems with your classmates and to work together on the Problem Sets, 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 (except the permitted "cheat sheet"), 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.
Grading:	Your 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: 50% Midterm Exam: 25% Endterm Exam: 25%