Statistical Thermodynamics - Fall 2009

Molecular theory can be considered as a preliminary to statistical physics. While the latter employs a more sophisticated formalism encompassing quantum-mechanical systems, the former operates with a classical ideal gas. Molecular theory studies the relation between the temperature of the gas and the kinetic energy of the molecules, pressure on the walls due to the impact of the molecules, distribution of molecules over velocities etc. All these results can be obtained in a more formal way in statistical physics. However, it is convenient to first study molecular theory at a more elementary level. On the other hand, molecular theory includes kinetics of classical gases that studies nonequilibrium phenomena such as heat conduction and diffusion (not a part of this course)