314660 (v.1) Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics 200
| Area: | Department of Applied Physics |
|---|---|
| Credits: | 25.0 |
| Contact Hours: | 4.0 |
| Tuition Patterns: | The tuition pattern provides details of the types of classes and their duration. This is to be used as a guide only. Precise information is included in the unit outline. |
| Lecture: | 1 x 2 Hours Weekly |
| Tutorial: | 1 x 2 Hours Weekly |
| Prerequisite(s): |
10926 (v.5)
Mathematics 103
or any previous version
AND 302804 (v.3) Physics 101 or any previous version AND 305415 (v.3) Physics 102 or any previous version |
| Syllabus: | The unit begins with a comparison of the ways of describing a physical system in terms of both macroscopic and microscopic viewpoints, and simple relations between them, such as temperature. The unit explores the zeroth, and first Laws of thermodynamics, including the concepts of heat capacity and enthalpy. Exploration of the second law of thermodynamics is used to describe the operation of heat engines and Carnot cycles. The concept of entropy is introduced, and some of its properties are examined using the third law of thermodynamics. It then examines thermodynamic potentials and phase changes in substances. The final part of the unit explores the kinetic theory of gases and statistical mechanics. We start with simple probabilistic descriptions of how energy is distributed in macroscopic systems, and derive the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution function. Applying this to ideal gases, we explore the concepts of pressure, viscosity, thermal conductivity and diffusion. Finally, we extend the classical treatment of energy distribution to include the effects of quantum mechanics, deriving the distribution functions of blackbody radiation and matter that are subject to either Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac statistics. |
| Unit references, texts, outcomes and assessment details | The most up-to-date information about unit references, texts and outcomes, will be provided in the unit outline. |
| Field of Education: | 010301 Physics |
| Result Type: | Grade/Mark |
Availability
| Year | Location | Period | Internal | Partially Online Internal | Area External | Central External | Fully Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Bentley Campus | Semester 1 | Y |
Area External refers to external course/units run by the School or Department or offered by research.
Central External refers to external and online course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area
Partially Online Internal refers to some (a portion of) learning provided by interacting with or downloading pre-packaged material from the Internet but with regular and ongoing participation with a face-to-face component retained. Excludes partially online internal course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area which remain Central External
Fully Online refers to the main (larger portion of) mode of learning provided via Internet interaction (including the downloading of pre-packaged material on the Internet). Excludes online course/units run through the Curtin Bentley-based Distance Education Area which remain Central External
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