MPhys Physics with Theoretical Physics

The unit will primarily cover Solids and Liquids, Thermodynamics, and Kinetic Theory of Gases.

The unit aims to develop the ideas of classical thermodynamics and explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases.

ILO 1 Explain and calculate properties of gases, liquids and solids.
ILO 2 Explain the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and the concept of entropy.
ILO 3 Use the formalism of thermodynamics and apply it to systems in thermal equilibrium.

Solids and liquids 
- Elasticity; Young, shear and bulk moduli.
- Bernoulli’s equation and incompressible fluid flow.
- Liquid surfaces.
- Viscous and turbulent drag forces.

Thermodynamics 
- The First Law: heat, work and internal energy.
- Functions of state. Reversibility.
- The Second Law: from heat engines to entropy.
- Phase transitions: Gibbs Free energy, Clausius-Clapeyron equation, examples of phase transitions including Van der Waals gas.

Kinetic theory of gases 
- Boltzmann factor.
- Ideal gas equation and internal energy, including internal molecular modes.
- Maxwell velocity distribution, mean speed.
- Gas molecular collisions: mean free path.
- Transport properties of gases; viscosity, thermal conductivity and self-diffusion.

22 hours of lectures, weekly problem sheets, online discussion forum.

Feedback will be offered by tutors on students’ written solutions to weekly example sheets, and model answers will be issued.

G.C. King, Physics of Matter (Manchester Physics Series, Wiley)

H.D. Young, Sears and Zemansky's university physics: with modern physics (Pearson Education Ltd)

S. Blundell and K.M. Blundell, Concepts in Thermal Physics (2nd edition, Oxford University Press)

F. Mandl, Statistical Physics (2nd edition, Manchester Physics Series, Wiley)

B.H. Flowers, Properties of matter (Wiley)

M.W. Zemansky, Heat and thermodynamics : an intermediate textbook (McGraw-Hill)

P. Sen, Einstein's Fridge The Science of Fire, Ice and the Universe (HarperCollins)