Statistical Physics II

A series of blue boxes representing the total numbers of states in a combined system.

Graphical representation of the total numbers of states in a combined system with with energies E1 and E2 in the two sub systems. The total energy E1+E2 is fixed. (Image courtesy of Prof. Xiao-Gang Wen.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

8.08

As Taught In

Spring 2005

Level

Undergraduate

Cite This Course

Course Description

Course Features

Course Description

This course covers probability distributions for classical and quantum systems. Topics include: Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical partition-functions and associated thermodynamic potentials. Also discussed are conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium for homogenous and heterogenous systems.

The course follows 8.044, Statistical Physics I, and is second in this series of undergraduate Statistical Physics courses.

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Related Content

Xiao-Gang Wen. 8.08 Statistical Physics II. Spring 2005. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


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