Classical thermodynamics, including phase equilibria, thermodynamic potentials, and classical theory of phase transitions. An introduction to statistical physics from the quantum-mechanical approach; topics include canonical and grand canonical ensembles, partition functions, and the theory of quantum ideal gases. The theory is applied to cavity radiation, heat capacity of solids, the behavior of electrons in metals, and semiconductor physics.

OWU Units: 1.00. Crosslisting(s): None. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 280 . Recommended: MATH 280 . Corequisite(s): None. Antirequisite(s): None. Fee: None. Core Competency: None. Offered: Alternating years (Spring).