Objectives

• explain why transitions between quantum states must usually be described in probabilistic terms
• give three reasons that statistical physics is necessary
• follow in the text how Maxwell confirmed the mean translational kinetic energy of a molecule
• state the equipartition theorem
• understand basically when quantum theory overrides the equipartition theorem
• describe what is meant by translational, rotational and vibrational modes of molecules
• write down the Maxwell velocity distribution and speed distribution
• follow the derivations of the most probable speed, the mean speed, and the root mean square speed
• name the one major characteristic makes quantum statistics different from classical statistics
• for each of the three distributors, name its properties, an example and its distribution function
• discuss the graphs of the Fermi-Dirac factor, FFD, at various temperatures
• calculate the Fermi energy and temperature for a given element
• determine electrical conductivity and electronic contribution to the molar heat capacity of a metal
• know how electrical conductivity varies with temperature
• understand how to use the Bose-Einstein distribution to derive Planck's radiation law
• use Bose-Einstein statistics to account for the properties of a superfluid