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Course content

This course will give you a thorough introduction to thermodynamics and statistical physics, with an emphasis on the equilibrium properties of gases, liquids and solids. The course also gives you a theoretical foundation for further studies of systems with many particles or degrees of freedom.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, you:

• are able to compute (numerically and analytically) thermodynamic quantities and correlation functions in equilibrium for quantum mechanical and classical models in statistical mechanics using various techniques and approximations.
• have gained experience with models of gases, liquids, electrons in materials, lattice vibrations, and magnetism.
• are able to deduce and mathematically transform thermodynamic identities. You can also use thermodynamic stability criteria, and you can characterize phase transitions.
• have knowledge about terms and concepts related to the renormalization group (RG), and you can use it to deduce critical exponents.
• are able to deduce the master equation, and use it to construct various Monte Carlo algorithms.

Admission to the course

Students admitted ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ must  in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may .

If you are not already enrolled as a student ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡, please see our information about .

Recommended previous knowledge

• FYS-MEK1110 – Mechanics (discontinued) or FYS1100 – Mechanics and Modelling
• FYS1120 – Electromagnetism
• FYS2130 – Oscillations and Waves
• FYS2140 – Quantum Physics
• FYS2160 – Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with FYS3130 – Statistical mechanics (discontinued).

Teaching

The course is taught over a full semester with 6 hours of teaching per week:

• 4 hours of lectures
• 2 hours of exercises

This course has 2 mandatory assignments that must be approved before you can sit the final exam.

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Examination

• Final written exam (4 hours) which counts 100 % towards the final grade.

This course has mandatory exercises that must be approved before you can sit the final exam.

It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: FYS3130 – Statistical mechanics (discontinued)

Examination support material

•    
• Rottman: "Matematisk formelsamling"
• Øgrim and Lian or Angell and Lian: Fysiske størrelser og enheter
• One A4 sheet (two pages) with handwritten notes

Language of examination

Subjects taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English. You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about .

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a  at the beginning of the next semester.

 are offered at the beginning of the next semester for students who do not successfully complete the exam during the previous semester.

We do not offer a re-scheduled exam for students who withdraw during the exam.

More about examinations ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡.