The final exam

The final exam and its solutions are posted Exam Spring 2024

The final is Tuesday, May 7th at 8:00 a.m. in our classroom. Note the following:

  • This table of integrals will be provided.
  • Bring a pocket calculator of any sort.
  • Bring a hand written page of formulas front and back

    If you type it I will have to mercilessly throw it in the garbage -- I didn't like it, but I did do it last year.

    • The exam will focus homeworks 7-12. Homework 7 only particle covered (see below) Some material from the previous homeworks is also needed to answer questions on these homeworks:

    • Phase space and entropy.
    • Partition functions of simple systems, both quantum and classical, as well as computing the entropy and free energy of these systems, e.g. the simple paramagnet.
    • The ideal gas (with internal states) and mono-atomic and diatomic gasses.
    • Chemical equilbirium and the grand canonical ensemble
    • The photon and neutrino gasses
    • The degenerate Fermi gas.

    Working through problems of this sort in 1d, 2d, and 3d can be quite helpful.

    The content from homework's 1-7 is needed to some extent, but will not be the focus. Here is some concrete guidance:

    • From homework 7, Entropy changes in thermodynamics, e.g. computing the change in entropy when two gasses mix: no
    • Engines: no.
    • Equipartition theorem and estimates: yes
    • Basic partition functions. The classical and quantum oscillators and their interdependence -- yes.
    • Ideal gas velocity / momentum distribution: yes, but probably more focussed on the end of the course.

      • Previous Exams

      Past years did not cover the degenerate fermi gas. This years final probably will. We also covered more about chemical equilibrium.

      The Midterm

      The grade distribution is here

      The solution (and grading scheme) to the exam is presented a here

      The midterm is on Thursday 3/21. You should bring the following

      • A pocket calculator of any sort.
      • A hand written page of formulas front and back. Hand written on ipad and printed out is fine.

        If you type it I will have to mercilessly throw it in the garbage -- I didn't like it, but I did do it last year.

        • What's on the exam

        1. A detailed guide to the exam topics is posted in the exam guide
        2. The exam's content is based on Homework's 1-6, focussing on the core of the material.
        3. Everything in the course notes up to and including the section on entropy of a two state system lectures:
          1. Basic Themodynamics
          2. Probability and Statistics
          3. Basics of Partition Functions
          4. Entropy of Two State System from the Micro Canonical Ensemble
        4. Making estimates. The constants you need are here, and will not be provided.
        5. Some mathematics may come up in physical problems
          1. Change of variables.
          2. Basics of Taylor Series you are expected to know -- see here
          3. The following table of integrals based on the Gamma function and Gaussian integrals will be given on the exam. Your job will be to swtich to appropriate dimensionless variables so that you can use this sheet, see here.