In the wake of the Industrial Revolution, physicists developed thermal physics as a way of improving the efficiency of steam engines. At nearly the same time, the development of statistical physics gave birth to an understanding of how large ensembles of particles interacted. We will study both the macroscopic (“Thermal”) and microscopic (“Statistical”) view of systems and the connection between those two via multiplicity and the second law of thermodynamics. This topic is of broad scientific interest within physics and beyond: biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and even economics can draw on thermal and statistical physics.
Learning Outcomes:
An understanding of the connection between the macroscopic processes of energy and heat transfer with the microscopic world of particle motion
An ability to analyze and simplify complex physical systems
An ability to derive understanding from quantitative problem solving and data analysis
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites:
Physics I and Calculus, or permission of the instructor.
Registration Instructions: Email Hugh (hcrowl@bennington.edu) once 4000-level registration begins.
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 4
T/F 10:30AM - 12:20PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 12
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: 4000 , All courses , Four Credit , Fully In-Person , Physics
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