Lecture Notes

LEC # TOPICS LECTURE NOTES
1 Review of thermodynamics (PDF)
2 E, A, and S: macroscopic properties for microscopic probabilities {Pi} (PDF)
3 Canonical partition function: replace {Pi} by Q (PDF)
4 Microcanonical ensemble: replace {Pi} by Ω, Q vs. Ω (PDF)
5 Molecular partition function: replace E (assembly) by ε (molecule) (PDF)
6 Q corrected for molecular indistinguishability (PDF)
7 Translational part of Boltzmann partition function (PDF)
8 Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein statistics (PDF - 1.1 MB)
9 Calculation of macroscopic properties from microscopic energy levels: qtrans (PDF)
10

Quantum vs. classical qtrans

Equipartition

Internal degrees of freedom

(PDF)
11 Internal degrees of freedom for atoms and diatomic molecules (PDF)
12

Rotational partition function

Equipartition

(PDF)
13 Nuclear spin statistics: symmetry number, σ Low temperature limit for rotational partition function

(PDF)

Supplement (PDF)

14 Low and high-T limits for qrot and qvib (PDF)
15 Polyatomic molecules: rotation and vibration (PDF)
16 Chemical equilibrium I (PDF)
17 Chemical equilibrium II (PDF)
18 Model intermolecular potentials (PDF)
19 Configurational integral: cluster expansion (PDF)
20 Virial equation of state (PDF)
21 Thermodynamics of solid: Einstein and Debye models

(PDF)

Supplement (PDF)

22 Einstein and Debye solids (PDF - 1.4 MB)
23 Phonons: 1-D linear chain of atoms (PDF)
24 Free electron theory of a metal (PDF)
25 Heat capacity in metals  
26 Band theory of solids (PDF)
27 Crystal phase equilibria  
28 Kinetic theory of gases: Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution (PDF)
29 Kinetic theory of gases: effusion and collisions (PDF - 1.0 MB)
30 Kinetic theory of gases: collision dynamics and scattering (PDF)
31 Kinetic theory of gases: mean free path and transport (PDF)
32 Kinetic theory of gases: transport coefficients (PDF)
33 Transition state theory I (PDF)
34

Transition state theory II

Kinetic isotope effect

(PDF)
35 Statistical mechanics for photons  
36 Rates of unimolecular reactions: RRKM (PDF)