MATERIAL PHYSICS WITH EXERCISES MOD. 1

Degree course: 
Corso di First cycle degree in Physics
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2021/2022
Year: 
3
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2023/2024
Course type: 
Compulsory subjects, characteristic of the class
Credits: 
5
Period: 
First Semester
Standard lectures hours: 
40
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (40 hours)
Assessment: 
Voto Finale

1) A short review of Thermodynamics. Elements of equilibrium, classical statistical physics and kinetic theories. Ergodicity hypothesis. Theory of representative ensembles. Equipartition theorem. Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. Collisions, cross sections and mean free path. Transport coefficients in gases. Brownian motion. Phase transitions. Ising model and mean field approximation (16 h).
2) Generalization of classical distributions for indistinguishable particles: Maxwell—Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, Fermi--Dirac. Classical limit. Equilibrium between matter and radiation: photons. Bose-Einstein condensation. Electron gas. Specific heat of solids: phonons (12 h).
3) Interaction of radiation with matter in classical physics. Elements of quantum mechanics: angular momentum, Hydrogen atom (6 h).
4) Absorption and emission of radiation, Fermi golden rule. Einstein coefficients. Zeeman effect. Electron spin. Relativistic effects: spin-orbit interaction. Fine structure of the emission lines. Lamb shift. Anomalous Zeeman effect (8 h).
5) Atomic structure. Helium atom. Self consistent field (2 h).

The course is essentially based on lectures, during which the teacher presents the contents of the course in full detail, including mathematical derivations. At the end of each section, as previously detailed, few exercises will be provided. The next week the teacher will make available their solutions on the e-learning site.

The teacher is available for questions by appointment. The teacher e-mail is:
alberto.parola@uninsubria.it