CHEM 687: STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND CHEMISTRY
(SPRING 2025, 3 CREDITS)
This the course page for Statistical Mechanics and Chemistry, taught by Prof. Pratyush Tiwary in Spring 2025. Relevant links, references etc. will be uploaded here. I will also upload homework/exam problems here (but likely not their solutions except those for midterms and final exam). The class will taught in-person, with recorded videos through youtube available after class. However you should try your best to attend the live classes and engage in discussions on the slack workspace if you want to make the best of this class.
What's new:
Course syllabus (PDF file) is now available.
Homework 1 (PDF file) is now available.
Lectures:
Lectures 4-5 (2/11, 2/13): Thermodynamics from microcanonical ensemble. Why does not the energy "shell width" matter in microcanonical ensemble. Canonical ensemble. Thermdynamics from canonical ensemble. Energy fluctuations.
Additional optinal reading: Surprises in high dimension (PDF)
Lecture 5 PDF notes, video (youtube link)
Lecture 4 PDF notes, video (youtube link)
Lecture 3 (2/4): Introduction to ergodic hypothesis and ensembles. Microcanonical ensemble and the principle of equal a priori probabilities.
Watch: This Youtube video (at least the first lecture by Susskind)
Lecture 3 PDF notes, video (youtube link)
Lectures 1-2 (1/28, 1/30): An ode to Thermodynamics but why we need Statistical Mechanics. Math and Thermo refresher. Introduction to ergodic hypothesis and ensembles.
Watch: This Youtube clip (7 min 33 sec)
Lecture 2 PDF notes, video (youtube link)
Lecture 1 PDF notes, video (youtube link)