CHEM 232A. Statistical Mechanics I (4 units)
Link to catalog page: https://catalog.ucsd.edu/courses/CHEM.html#chem232a
Description
Derivation of thermodynamics from atomic descriptions. Ensembles, fluctuations, classical (Boltzmann) and quantum (Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein) statistics, partition functions, phase space, Liouville equation, chemical equilibrium, applications to weakly interacting systems, such as ideal gases, ideal crystals, radiation fields. Recommended background: CHEM 132 or its equivalent. Classical and quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and mathematical methods will be reviewed as needed, but some background will be necessary.
Prerequisite courses
CHEM 232A has no prerequisite courses.
Successor courses
CHEM 232A is a prerequisite of the following 1 courses: