Book Description

1. Reference systems, inertial frames, Galilean invariance and conservation laws, propagation of light, Michelson-Morley experiment; search for ether. 2. Postulates for the special theory of relativity, Lorentz transformations, length contraction, time dilation, velocity addition theorem, variation of mass with velocity, mass-energy equivalence, particle with a zero rest mass. 3. The statistical basis of thermodynamics : Probability and thermodynamic probability, principle of equal a prior probabilities, probability distribution and its narrowing with increase in number of particles. The expressions for average properties. Constraints; accessible and inaccessible states, distribution of particles with a given total energy into a discrete set of energy states. 4. Some universal laws : The ji-space representation, division of i-space into energy sheets and into phase cells of arbitrary size, applications to one dimensional harmonic oscillator and free particles. Equilibrium before two systems in thermal contact, bridge with macroscopic physics. Probability and entropy, Boltzmann entropy relation. Statistical interpretation of second law of thermodynamics. Boltzmann canonical distribution law and its applications; rigorous form of equipartition of energy. Maxwellian distribution of speeds in an ideal gas : Distribution of speeds and of velocities, experimental verification, distinction between mean, r.m.s. and most probable speed values. Doppler broadening of spectral lines. 5. Transition to quantum statistics : ‘h’ as a natural constant and its implications, cases of particle in a one-dimensional box and one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, Indistinguishability of particles and its consequences, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac distributions, photons in black body chamber, free electrons in a metal, Fermi level and Fermi energy.