MSE 475

Select Topics In Statistical Mechanics

1. “Statistical Mechanics – A Survival Guide” by M. Glazer and J. Wark, Oxford University Press, 2001. (This book will serve as a textbook up to Week 4).
2. The following book and review articles will be used for Applications – I:
   “Statistical Physics”, C. Hermann, Springer, 2005.
   “An Introduction to global warming”, J.R. Barker and M. H. Ross, Am. J. Phys. Vol. 67, pp. 1216-1226, (1999).  
   “Physical aspects of the greenhouse effect and global warming”, R. S. Knox, Am. J. Phys. Vol. 67, pp. 1227-1238 (1999).
3. The material for weeks 6-9 will be based on the following books:
   “A Modern Course in Statistical Mechanics”, L. E. Reichl, Wiley, 1998.
   “Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics”, R. Balescu, Wiley, 1975.
   “Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics”, by D. Chandler, Oxford, 1987.
4. “Kinetic Processes”, K. A. Jackson, Wiley, 2004 (week 9-10)
5. “Models of Biological Pattern Formation”, H. Meinhardt, Academic Press, London, 1982 (week 11-12). The following review article will also be used:
   “Biological pattern formation: from basic mechanism to complex structures”, A. J. Koch and H. Meinhardt, Rev. Mod. Phys. Vol. 66, pp. 1481-1507, (1994).
6. “Power laws, Pareto distributions and Zipf’s law”, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 46, pp.323-351, (2005) (week 13-14)

This new undergraduate course will provide an overview of select topics in equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. The emphasis will be on elucidating the basic postulates of statistical mechanics, explaining its fundamental laws and introducing the methodology of non-equilibrium processes via select applications in diverse fields. Statistical Mechanics is a unique branch of physics that permeates our understanding of matter at all length scales, from nanometers to stellar dimensions, and, ranging in temperatures from nano-Kelvin to billions of degrees Kelvin. The techniques of Statistical Mechanics have been employed in condensed matter physics and material science when studying solids, liquids, and gases as well as in other disciplines such as biology, zoology, molecular biology, physiology, economics, signal transmission and large scale networks such as the world-wide web. It is envisaged that seniors at Penn and especially in MSE/SEAS will benefit by getting a perspective of this fascinating subject and appreciate how its principles govern phenomena as diverse as semiconductor devices, greenhouse effect, biological pattern formation and instabilities on material surfaces.

The course will consist of two lectures per week of ninety minute duration each. Approximately four to five assignments will be given during the duration of the course. There will be a mid-term exam. In lieu of a final exam, students will write and present a term paper on a specific application of statistical mechanics in varied fields. The topic for the term paper can be either one of the applications discussed in class or from a subject that uses concepts of statistical physics. A list of topics will be suggested for reference. The term paper will present an overview of the topic selected and explain the key concepts from statistical mechanics that are used for comprehension. A short oral presentation (approximately 15 minutes duration) will be made by the student to the entire class outlining the subject and the topic selected at the time of the final exam.

There is no single textbook that covers the breath of topics discussed in this course. A list of textbooks and review articles used for specific topics is given below. A course pack will be made available to all students that include copies of relevant chapters from various texts and review articles.