Credits: 3; Coreq: PHY 2049 or the equivalent.
First part of sequence PHY 3513-4523. Treatment of classical thermodynamics including fundamental postulates, entropy, equations of states. Thermodynamic equilibrium and potentials, Maxwell relations, phase transitions.
Prof. Steve Hagen
Office: 2362 NPB
Email: sjhagen (at) ufl.edu
Office hours: Mondays 3-4 pm (and also by appointment)
grader:Jie Hou (jhou@phys.ufl.edu)
MWF 7th period (1:55 - 2:45 pm)
Room 1101 NPB
The book combines statistical physics, thermodynamics, and kinetic theory, which is more than we can cover in one semester. We will therefore skip quite a few chapters so that we can focus on the kinetic theory and thermodynamics, leaving most of the statistical physics for PHY4523.
You have to decide whether you are looking for further reading in statistical mechanics or thermodynamics. Our course is more focused on the latter, but we do consider statistical ideas during the first few weeks. Thus any of the following books might be helpful supplemental reading for PHY3513. Most or all can be found in the UF Library.
Homework will be collected in class. It will not be accepted out
of class. Please do not slide it under my office door or place it in
my mailbox. Each homework assignment will be graded on a 3-point scale
(0-3 points). Late homework will not be graded and missed assignments
cannot be made up. I will drop the two lowest homework scores at the
end of the semester, so there is no need for you to provide an excuse
for missed homework.
We will have frequent short quizzes in-class. These quizzes are designed
to assess whether you have read the textbook, followed the lectures,
and understood the homework problems. Therefore most quiz problems will
closely resemble recent homework problems, or examples discussed recently
in class. Each quiz will be graded on a 3-point scale (0-3 pts). If you
have been coming to class and you can do the homework, you should find
the quizzes to be easy. If you are struggling on the quizzes, then you
can be pretty sure that you are not spending enough time with the homework.
Quiz and exam grades will be provided as numerical (not
letter) scores only. The only letter grade provided will be the final
course grade. This approach minimizes roundoff errors in your final grade,
so it is ultimately more fair, even if it causes some anxiety at times.
The letter grade scale applied at the end of the semester will be subject to adjustment based on overall class performance. However the following minimum scale is assured:
This means that a student who earns 86.67% average on all graded work
(and meets other requirements described in this syllabus) is assured at
least an A-, etc.
The midterm exams are given in class. The final exam is an assembly
exam. All topics covered in the assigned reading and HW, or presented in
lecture, are fair game for the exams and quizzes. During the exams and
quizzes you will be provided a copy of the "official" Phy3513 formula
sheet, but you may not use any other notes or books. You may bring
a calculator.
Please plan carefully. Check the midterm and final exam
dates carefully before you make any plans to travel away from campus
during the semester. If you purchase an airline ticket to travel during
the semester, and you later realize that your travel conflicts with a
scheduled exam, you will have a problem.
Some students may nevertheless suffer from a severe personal or
family emergency that forces them to miss a quiz:
Therefore, the two lowest quiz scores (and the two lowest homework scores) will be dropped when final grades
are calculated.
It is the policy of the University of Florida that the student, not the
instructor, is responsible for arranging accommodations when needed. The
instructor will not remind the student to schedule accommodations prior
to each quiz or exam. If you require extra time for in-class work, you
must initiate this request at least seven days before the exam or quiz.
What does
"academic dishonesty" mean? Although it is normal and appropriate for
students in this course to work together on homework assignments, certain
other activities are inappropriate: these include plagiarism,
fabricating data or information, giving or receiving any
unauthorized assistance on quizzes or exams, and interfering with
the academic work of other students. Submitting homework solutions
that were simply copied or transcribed from another student, a book,
or a website is clearly dishonesty, because it is not your own work.
Supplying a false or fabricated excuse for missed academic work is also
academic dishonesty. If the incident is the student's first offense
at UF, the student will receive a failing grade in PHY3513. If not,
the Dean of Students Office will decide the appropriate sanction.
The Dean of Students Office website has further details on
academic honesty policies at UF.
This is the first course in a two-semester series (PHY3513 + PHY4523)
in thermal physics, which is the study of general properties of heat,
work and energy. The topic can be divided roughly into three parts:
kinetic theory, thermodynamics and statistical physics. PHY3513 focuses
on the first two (kinetic theory and thermodynamics), while PHY4523
focuses on statistical mechanics. The goals of this course are to
introduce basic concepts in the kinetic theory of ideal gases (such as the
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution) and then to develop the fundamental laws
of thermodynamics and their applications. These ideas define in a precise
and universal way some of the most basic attributes of matter and energy.
They include the concepts of thermodynamic equilibrium, efficiency,
reversibility and irreversibility, temperature, entropy, state equations,
thermodynamic free energy, phase transitions and more. Historically,
these ideas arose out of the study of engines (steam engines) during
the industrial revolution - before the nature of atoms and molecules
was even understood! However the principles of thermodynamics
are fundamental to all of the natural sciences and engineering, from
biochemistry to astrophysics. A proper understanding of thermodynamics
is especially important for any student who wishes to pursue advanced
study in any physical science or engineering field.
The preliminary schedule of chapters/lectures is posted
here. Chapter numbers refer to the textbook
by Blundell & Blundell. For chapter titles or contents see the authors' website. See also the official UF calendar. Our lecture schedule is of course
likely to evolve as the semester proceeds. Midterm exam dates will
be announced at the start of the semester. Quizzes may be announced
on rather short notice. Check the
Sakai site regularly for schedule
updates and announcements.
The calendar (and all current information) is posted on the
UF Sakai website. You can also access the site
through the UF E-learning Services (http://lss.at.ufl.edu). You will
need to log in with your Gatorlink ID. On the website you will find the
course calendar along with the syllabus, homework and quiz problems and
solutions, and various other timely information. The instructor will
assume that all students visit the website regularly and are
familiar with the information and announcements that are posted there.
The only way to learn physics is to work a large number
of homework problems. Regular homework is therefore at the heart of
this course. Homework problems will be assigned regularly, perhaps
continuously. Do not be surprised if the homework assignments take up a
fair amount of your time. Work with a friend if you like. Solutions will
also be posted online. But make sure that you understand each problem and
that you can present your solution. People who don't seriously engage
with the homework will probably do poorly in this course. If you don't
have time to do lots of regular homework, then you don't have time to
learn thermal physics and you should not be taking this course.
The final course grade will be determined by
≥ 90 A
≥ 86.67 A-
≥ 83.33 B+
≥ 80 B
≥ 76.67 B-
≥ 73.33 C+
≥ 70 C
≥ 66.67 C-
≥ 63.33 D+
≥ 60 D
≥ 56.67 D-
The final examination is comprehensive - it covers the
entire semester. The date and time is already chosen by the Registrar as Thursday December 15 at 5:30 - 7:30 pm. (This is exam group 15E. ) Mark your calendar.
The Instructor believes that make-ups are intrinsically
unfair. This unfairness can be mitigated (but not eliminated)
by keeping the number of make-ups to an absolute minimum.
Therefore there will be no makeups for missed quizzes or homework.
A make-up for a missed exam will be granted only in a truly dire situation.
(A student who lacks diligence in contacting the instructor once
this dire situation arises is unlikely to be granted the make-up.)
Regular class attendance is definitely expected. Mastery of the course
material will require each student to make a sustained and consistent
investment of effort throughout the semester. Class attendance is part
of that effort. Poor attendance or frequent lateness will result in
a reduced final grade, or even a failing grade. A student who stops
participating in the class - i.e. who ceases attending class, doing
homework, communicating with the instructor, taking quizzes/exams - should
drop the course, because otherwise a failing grade is certain. No special
end-of-semester arrangements (such as make-up work, late-drop petitions,
incomplete grades, signatures on various forms, etc.) will be provided
to any student who simply disappeared for a substantial portion of the
semester. Such accommodations are only available to students who have
participated in class and kept in regular contact with the instructor
during the term.
Unfortunately the instructor cannot approve requests to audit
PHY3513. Every student must register formally and take the class for
credit. Coursework of unregistered students is not graded.
Student academic records are confidential, under federal
law. I will not answer emailed questions about your grades or other
academic matters, unless the email comes from your UF email or WebCT
account. Parents (and others) cannot ask instructors for information on a
student's attendance, grades, performance, etc, either by phone or email.
Even your UFID is confidential.
Students who will require a classroom accommodation for a disability must
contact the Dean of Students Office and request proper documentation. Upon
bringing that documentation to the Instructor, the student will be
given the appropriate accommodations. No accommodations are available to
students who lack this documentation.
It is a sad commentary on the 21st century that some people
need to be reminded of appropriate classroom behavior. Frequent lateness,
entering and leaving the classroom during the lecture, listening to
headphones or reading the ALLIGATOR during class, checking messages and
viewing Facebook during class, cellphone rings, etc. ... are all
rude and disruptive behaviors. They distract the teacher and the
other students in the classroom - a direct violation of the Student Conduct Code. In fact it is
the view of this instructor that student use of laptops, iPods, tablet
computers, and all other electronic devices is almost always detrimental
to student learning and attention. Please show courtesy and respect for
yourself, your colleagues, and your institution by turning OFF electronic
devices and avoiding other distracting behaviors.
All students are required to abide by the
principles of academic honesty expressed in the Student Honor Code .
Consistent with university policy, any incident of academic dishonesty in
this course will be reported to the Dean of Students Office.
Major religious observances will be accommodated. It is university
policy, however, that the student must inform the instructor of religious
observances that will conflict with class attendance or other activities,
prior to the class or the occurrence of that activity.
Since major religious holidays are usually based on astronomical calendars -
which can be calculated hundreds of years in advance - the instructor
will expect the student to provide at least 7-14 days of advance
notice of any upcoming religious observance.
The UF Code of Student Conduct (6C1-4.041, section 3(i)
Unauthorized Recordings) prohibits a student from making any
type of recording of any class or activity without express authorization
from the instructor and from other participants. Please also note that
the instructor of this course holds the copyright to all course
materials other than the textbook and the associated homework.
That includes lecture notes and classroom audio/video. The textbook, homework
questions, and written homework solutions
are the intellectual property of the textbook publisher. Permission to
redistribute, reuse, recycle, share, upload, copy, buy, sell etc. any
course materials in any form is denied. Period. That means for example
that it is illegal to copy or upload homework solutions or
classroom audio/video to any website or distribute them to any third
party for any purpose.