http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/ 2020-01-27T03:46:11-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/ http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/lib/images/favicon.ico text/html 2010-02-08T15:33:38-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:diagnostics?rev=1265672018 Questions aked in the first two weeks of review, to check students background understanding. Day 1: Exact differential The purpose of this question was to see if students understood teh relation between partial derivatives and line integrals. Half of the eighteen students answered this question using the “murder mistery method” from the early paradigms. They typically got the correct answer, apart from trivial errors. Most other students integrated along a path. Half of those did take the… text/html 2010-02-16T15:04:24-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:midterm?rev=1266361464 The midterm questions are here Goals: Question 1. What are probabilities for states, general properties, Boltzmann factor, and partition function. Used for a three level system, which is a simple extension of the two level system in the notes. The first two parts ask for basic understanding of the behavior of probabilities, but they can also be ansered via the mathematics. The third part needs the mathematics, but the work to be done is easy, since the partition function cancels. text/html 2010-01-12T15:04:31-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week1?rev=1263337471 Day 1: Review, variables and equations of state Topics Problems in class Reflection Many basic words were recognized, so this was basically a review to get thoughts organized. In the in class problem the integral ∫dV/V occured, with limit infinity, and everybody kind of ignored that problem. text/html 2010-03-10T11:33:24-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week10?rev=1268249604 Day 28: Fermi Dirac distribution Topics Problems in class Reflection Trying to find out if students really got the occupation number idea. Not sure, expnanations seem OK, but written work not. Need in class test for that. Day 29: Fermi systems Topics Problems in class Reflection Day 30: Title Topics Problems in class Reflection text/html 2010-01-27T15:08:24-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week2?rev=1264633704 Day 4: Review, fairness function Topics Problems in class Reflection Students did not know what to do with 0 ln(0). Needed explanation in terms of limits. There was the need to spend extra time on minimization with constraints. The formal procedure was explained using a 3d example, minimize f(x) with the extra condition g(x)=C. The target function was extended using a Lagrange multiplier, F(λ, x)= f(x) - λ ( g(x)-C). Minimizing over all λ and x now gives us the desired result. Class worke… text/html 2010-01-27T15:08:41-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week3?rev=1264633721 Day 7: No Class, MLK day Day 8: Cancelled, conference Day 9: Statistical mechanics of ideal gas (David R) Topics Problems in class Reflection text/html 2010-02-01T16:04:59-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week4?rev=1265069099 Allenlw With regard to day 10 - what does this mean? Design ideal gas thermometer is a good activity, but was poorly executed, needs development. Notes are not optimal, once you ahve the partition function you have the Helmholtz free energy, and you do not need other approaches. text/html 2010-02-05T15:46:03-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week5?rev=1265413563 Day 13: Heat capacity of solids, general Topics Problems in class T (K) C (J/K/mole) 20 0.2340 2.0960 5.7780 9.65100 13.04150 18.52200 21.58250 23.25300 24.32400 25.61 Gas constant R=8.31 J/K/mole Reflection The idea of a calorie came out, and also that one needs to distinguish between Cp and Cv. At which temperature was a good question. One calorie is from 14.5 to 15.5 C (sometimes called a 15 degree calorie). The 4.2 J/cal was known. C for water per mole and per kg. Water has 18 grams per… text/html 2010-02-12T15:29:33-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week6?rev=1266017373 Day 16: MIDTERM See separate entry. Day 17: Magnetic work Topics Problems in class Reflection Students were able to reconstruct Maxwell's equations in about five minutes, working in groups. They all did the differential form, and all used MKSA units, as is done in 431 and 481. These units are better for experimentalists. There were some inconsistencies in using matter or not. They knew about the Poynting vector, which was just done in 481. I derived the energy ablance by enclosing the sys… text/html 2010-02-22T09:19:44-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week7?rev=1266859184 Day 19: Magnetism, continued Topics Problems in class Reflection The question what is a paramagnet gave answers in terms of models, as well as observations. M is proportional to H/T at low fields is the answer. Plot inverse susceptibility versus temperature is a good indication to check. Class discussion given the plot M(H/T) create the plot M(T/H) took some time. Need to look at low temperature behavior, or large x limit, where the 1/x is the dominant deviation from 1. I did not catch this … text/html 2010-02-26T13:55:47-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week8?rev=1267221347 Day 22: What is the chemical potential? Topics -> Problems in class ->-> Reflection Chemical potential is a difficult topic. Make sure you discuss the difference between pressure forcing a movement of particles and chemical potential doing so. The battery example worked well in class, the other two are for wednesday. text/html 2010-03-08T09:52:33-08:00 http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki/courses:home:smfiles:week9?rev=1268070753 Day 25: Black body radiation, history Topics Problems in class Reflection I like to spent at least some time on historical background and context, because I think it is important. Day 26: Black body radiation, theory Topics Problems in class Reflection Day 27: Crooke's radiometer Topics Problems in class Reflection The class was divided in three groups. The first group spent most time on finding out what the exposed area was. When the vane rotates, it is changing. The second group …