PHYS 013. Thermodynamics / Statistical Mechanics

A half-semester introductory course in thermal and statistical physics. Topics include energy, heat, work, entropy, temperature (the First, Second and “Third” Laws of Thermodynamics), heat capacity, ideal gases, paramagnetism, phase transitions, and the chemical potential. This course serves as a prerequisite for PHYS 114 and for PHYS 135.
Prerequisite: single-variable calculus (MATH 025 or MATH 026); may be taken as a corequisite with permission of the instructor.
This class has a weekly laboratory requirement.
0.5 credit.
Spring 2021. Bester and Smith, H.
Spring 2022. Staff.
Catalog chapter: Physics and Astronomy
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/physics-astronomy

Check the Fall 2020 Schedule of Courses

Check the Spring 2021 Schedule of Courses