Solution Sheet 7 Posted

I have posted the solution sheet to homework 7.

Update (12/02/12): I have posted a revised version of the solution sheet, in which I added a few sentences from the discussions in class. I also corrected the equation citations on the central-limit-theorem problem.

Exposition of Derivation of Boltzmann Equation (and More!)

Chapter 2 of this paper has a nice exposition of the derivation of the Boltzmann equation from the Liouville equation for hard spheres. Chapter 1 has a discussion of the Boltzmann-Grad limit, which we also discussed in lectures. This article looks really nice!

(Tip of the cap to Mark Wilkinson.)

Solution Set 6 Posted

Read the title.

Update (11/24/12): I have posted a revised version of this sheet in which I have corrected a couple of typos and added several additional points. (I added a good deal more in revising this sheet than was the case for prior sheets.)

Solution Set 5 Posted

See the title.

Update (11/16/12): I have posted a revised version. I corrected a typo (discussed in class at 2pm) and added a couple of additional sentences with relevant comments.

Solution Set 4 Posted

Yes, yes it is.

Update (11/10/12): I have posted a revised version in which I corrected a trivial typo and added a few sentences of clarification and description that arose in classes.

Solution Set 3 Posted

Read the title.

Update (11/02/12): I have posted a slightly revised version of the solutions. I fixed a couple of minor typos and added a note at top of problem 6 emphasizing that this is an important problem to revise (and reminding you to compare it to messing around with the volume of a container with an ideal gas).

Statistical Mechanics on the BBC

Here are the BBC shows by Jim Al-Khalili on statistical mechanics that Mark Wilkinson mentioned in lecture today:

Order and Disorder, Episode 1: Energy

Order and Disorder, Episode 2: Information

(P.S. The titles of the shows make me want to make snarky comments about Episodes 1 and 2 of Star Wars.)

Update: Mark mentions that Maxwell's Demon is discussed at 24:40 in Episode 2.

Solution Sheet 2 Posted

Yes, yes it is.

Update (10/26/12): I have posted a slightly revised version of the second solution sheet.

Solution Sheet 1 Posted

See the title.

Update (10/20/12): I have posted a slightly revised version of these solutions.

Online Introduction to Renormalization and Universality

One of the more difficult conceptual topics in this module concerns renormalization groups.

Just posted on the arXiv today are some nice-looking lecture notes from some summer school that aims to give an introduction to renormalization and universality.

These notes look pretty good, so you might want to take a look at them when we get to that part of the module. I am posting this today because I am just seeing these now and I might forget to post this link later. We're not going to get to renormalization until close to the end of the module, so this introduction is actually for several weeks from now.

MT 2012 Edition

Lectures are held Th, F: 11:00 am - noon, L2, MI.

There are two classes. I will be the tutor for both of them, and Mark Wilkinson will be the TA.

The classes will be held at the following times: Fridays at 2 - 3 pm and 3 - 4pm starting in week 2. They will occur in SG SR1.

Problem sheets will be due by 4pm on Wednesday in weeks 2-8. There will be seven sheets (one for each class). As usual, a box will magically appear in the basement of the MI.

Note: I am using the same scribbled lecture notes (see scanned versions on the Course Materials website) as last year, except possibly for the "special topic" to be covered in the last lecture or two (which isn't in the scanned notes anyway). I like to have student input in determining such special topics, so I'll figure that out later.

I have now posted all 7 problem sheets.

One of my favorite quotes ever from the opening of a book: Ludwig Boltzman, who spent much of his life studying statistical mechanics, died in 1906, by his own hand. Paul Ehrenfest, carrying on the work, died similarly in 1933. Now it is our turn to study statistical mechanics. Perhaps it will be wise to approach the subject cautiously. (David Goodstein, in the opening lines of States of Matter)

Thursday 10 May Consultation Session Moved (Slightly)

As announced by e-mail, the Thursday 10 May consultation session --- in which I'll be covering the mock exam --- is now taking place from 11 am to 1 pm in DHRS1.

Mock Exam Posted

I have posted a mock exam (aka, a "fake past exam") for the Statistical Mechanics module. It has not been vetted the way actual exams are, but hopefully it will be helpful.

Consultation Sessions

I will run 5 hours of consultation sessions during Trinity Term. They will take place on the following days and times:

Thursdays week 2-4 in DHSR3 from 10 am - noon (weeks 2 and 3), 10 - 11 am (week 4).


These will be the only consultation sessions for C6.2a.