Course syllabus

Course-PM

TIF435 / FYM305 Statistical physics, study period II, Fall 2025 (7.5 hp)
Course is offered by the department of Physics

Contact details

• Examiner: Andreas Isacsson;  andreas.isacsson@chalmers.se 
• Lecturers: Andreas Isacsson and Janine Splettstoesser; janines@chalmers.se
• Teaching assistants (tutorials and home problems): Nicolas Torres Dominguez; nicolas.torres@chalmers.se,  Didrik Palmqvist; didrikp@chalmers.se   
• Student representatives:  John Bolin ( john.bolin.6756@student.uu.se ), Pontus Borg Karlsson (ponka@student.chalmers.se)
  Alexander Lenngren (alelen@student.chalmers.se); Ylva Liljegren (ylvalil@student.chalmers.se);  William Weeks (weeks@student.chalmers.se)
    
  
  

Course purpose

Statistical physics comprises several general concepts and very powerful tools to study the properties of many-degree-of-freedom systems as well as the influence of the external world on systems. The latter leads to stochastic fluctuations, i.e., different forms of noise. The methods of statistical physics have a wide range of applications such as in astrophysics, biophysics, materials science, quantum information, economy, and even social sciences. The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to some of the most commonly used concepts and tools of statistical mechanics and their application in different fields of physics.

- Brownian motion and phase space dynamics (single-particle vs ensemble description)
- Density matrix approach (quantum statistical physics)
- Phase transitions and interacting systems
- Entropy, irreversibility and information
- Master equation and detailed balance
- Linear response, susceptibilities, noise, fluctuation-dissipation theorem

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen and GUBAS.

Schedule

TimeEdit

Course literature

- James P. Sethna: Entropy, Order Parameters, and Complexity, (2nd edition) freely available to download from the link: https://www.lassp.cornell.edu/sethna/StatMech/EntropyOrderParametersComplexity20.pdf

- Linda E. Reichl: A Modern Course in Statistical Physics, 4th Edition (2016)

- R. K. Pathria and Paul D. Beale, Statistical Mechanics, (4th edition)

- Lecture notes.

Orders for hard copies of the books have been sent to the Campus bookstore. 

Course design

The course will have two lectures per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Weekly problem sets will be published on the home page on the Monday of each week. The problems in each problem set correspond to the material that the lectures cover during the same week. For instance, the problem set handed out on Monday November 4 will have problems that treats the material covered in the lectures on Tuesday November 5 and Thursday November 7. For successful completion of the home problems it is strongly suggested that the problems for each week is reviewed by the students before the lectures. You do not need to hand in your solutions to the home problems. However, in the oral exam, we will assume that you are familiar with the problems, the questions surrounding them and the concepts and solution strategies involved. If you wish to have your solutions graded, you may hand them in to a TA no later than one week after they were published on Canvas.

Each week there will be tutorials/help desk (see TimeEdit) with Nicolas or Didrik. 

Examination form

Examination and grading will evualuated based on the performance on a final oral examination in January (date to be determined). The oral examination will assume familiarity with the home problems and the related physics. In addition, in connection with each lecture a set of study questions and concepts will be appended that we recommend studying.

Grading:
Chalmers students: U,3,4,5
GU students: U, G, VG

Re-exams:
If a student fails on the oral exam, two additional times for oral exams will be offered. One in April 2024 and one in August 2024.