INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE
PHN-006
Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics
Spring 2022-23
Himanshu Fulara
Assistant Professor
Dept. of physics, IIT Roorkee
March 03, 2023
PHN 006: Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics
About the Course:
The course in intended to familiarize students with the basic principles of quantum
mechanics and statistical mechanics.
Discipline: CSE
Batches: O1, O2, O3 and O4
MS Team Name: PHN-006: Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics
MS Team Code: ze2t56l
Lecture Schedule:
Days Time
MONDAY 15:00 – 15:55
WEDNESDAY 15:00 – 15:55
FRIDAY 15:00 – 15:55
E-mail: [Link]@[Link]
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PHN 006: Course Contents
Part 1: Quantum Mechanics
(i) Black body radiation: Classical Rayleigh-Jeans law, Wien’s law, Planck’s Quantum
radiation law, Stefan’s law, Wien’s displacement law, Photoelectric effect, Compton
effect, Frank-Hertz experiment, wave particle duality and wave packets, de Broglie
waves, phase and group velocities, Davisson-Germer experiment and gamma ray
scattering from electrons, uncertainty principle (single slit thought experiment),
applications of the uncertainty principle.
(ii) Basic postulates of quantum mechanics and physical meaning of the wave function,
Schrödinger wave equation, stationary states, expectation values, probability current
density; Applications: Particle in a 1-D box, 1-D step potential, reflection and
transmission by a barrier and tunnelling and their applications in electronics, electron in
periodic potential, energy band gap, qualitative discussion of Kronig-Penney model, 1-D
linear harmonic oscillator.
(iii) H-atom and the related quantum numbers (n, l, m), normal and anomalous Zeeman
effect, Anomalous Zeeman effect (Na D1 and D2 lines), Stern-Gerlach experiment, Fine
structure of H𝜶 line.
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PHN 006: Course Contents
Part 2: Statistical Mechanics
(i) Postulates of classical statistical mechanics, the three ensembles: micro canonical,
canonical and grand canonical; Micro canonical: Definition of entropy from microstates,
Derivation of the laws of thermodynamics, concept of temperature from the derivative
of entropy.
(ii) Statistical distributions: Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac distributions;
Applications: equipartition of energy, Bose-Einstein Condensation, Stimulated emission,
Einstein’s A and B coefficients, Specific heat of solids, free electrons in a metal.
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PHN 006: Books
Text Books:
1. A. Beiser, “Concepts of Modern Physics”, Tata McGraw Hill 2009
2. B. H. Bransden and C. J. Joachain, “Quantum Mechanics”, Second Edition, Pearson 2009
3. F. Reif, “Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics”, Sarat 2010
4. R. K. Pathria, “Statistical Mechanics”, Butterworth Heinemann 2001
5. D. J. Griffiths, “Introduction to Quantum Mechanics”, Pearson Education 2013
6. R. Shankar, “Principles of Quantum Mechanics”, Plenum Press 2011
7. I. S. Tyagi, “Principles of Quantum Mechanics”, Pearson Education 2013
Lecture notes and other relevant materials will be provided to students from time to time.
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PHN 006: Course Evaluation
Marks Distribution (Weightage):
End Term Exam (ETE) 35 Marks
Mid Term Exam (MTE) 20 Marks
Practical Sessional (PRS) 25 Marks
Class Work Sessional (CWS) 20 Marks
Tutorials:
CWS will comprise of TWO assignments and ONE project. A separate sheet listing the
problems will be provided. Students are expected to solve these problems and submit it
before the deadline. The solution of these problems may be provided after the deadline.
Project:
Students will be asked to prepare and submit a write-up on a topic of their own choice
(related with the course PHN-006).
Attendance:
As per the institute rule, 100% must be ensured by student. 75% is mandatory.
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