Instructor: Dr. Qingwen Ni, Math and Physical Science Department @ Texas A&M International University
Local Instructor Contact: Dr. M.K. Balasubramanya

Office: C H 302 F

Office Hours: MW 8:45 am-10: 45 am, and R 11:00 am-1:00 pm or by appointment

Telephone: 956-326-2409

Email: qni@tamiu.edu

Dept Secretary: Juanita, 956-326-2445, Fax: 956-326-2444

Textbook: Thermal Physics by Palph Baierlein (ISBN 0-521-65838-1)

Course Outline: The fundamentals of Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics. The conceptual core consists of following linked elements: entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the canonical probability distribution, the partition function, and the chemical potential. We will cover Chapters 1 to 13 approximately, and selected topics.

References: Introduction to Thermal Physics by Daniel V. Schroeder; Thermal Physics by Charles Kittle, Herbert Kroemer; Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics by Frederick, Rief.

Midsemester holiday: Oct. 17-18.

Exams: You will take 2 exams and one final exam.

Grading: The first and the second Exams count 60% (2 x 30%). The final Exam counts 40%.

Class performance:

Could add up to 10 bonus points to your final grade when needed, at the instructorís discretion, considering the overall performance of the class.

Final Grade: A>=90%, B>=80%, C>=70%, D>=60%, F<60%

There will be no makeups in general. Makeups are given only under certain extenuating circumstances and are generally more difficult than the regular scheduled exams.

Plagiarism: "Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student will receive a grade of "F" for the course, and the matter will then be referred to the Provost for possible disciplinary action."

Copyright: "The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine of up to $250,000 and imprisonment."

Syllabus is subject to change by the instructor.