Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics

Harvard FAS

This course provides an introduction to statistical mechanics and thermal physics. It surveys the fundamental elements of classical and quantum statistical mechanics (ensembles and partition functions) and thermodynamics (temperature, heat, work, free energy) and their application to a variety of physical systems. Topics covered may include heat engines, solid-state physics, blackbody radiation, phase transitions, physical chemistry, stellar physics, quantum information, Bose-Einstein…