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Spring 2026 – Tentative Class Schedule
(Topics may be updated for changes during the semester, assignments and tests definitely will be.)

Week of 
 Subject Kennett Notes
Jan 19 
 Introduction; Thermodynamics: Basic laws, potentials Appendix B  
 
 Response functions    
Jan 26 
    UM closed because of ice storm    
Feb 02 
    UM closed because of ice storm    
Feb 09 
 Important examples of thermodynamical systems Ch. 1  
Microstates and macrostates; Liouville's theorem Ch. 3  
Feb 16 
 The microcanonical ensemble Ch. 2  
 
 The canonical ensemble I Ch. 4 HW01 due Friday
Feb 23 
 The canonical ensemble II Ch. 4

HW02 due Wednesday
 
 The canonical ensemble III Ch. 4  [ Test 2 Fri 2/27 ]
Mar 02 
 The canonical ensemble V Ch. 4  
 
 Kinetic theory Ch 5 HW03 due Wednesday
Mar 09 
    Spring Break    
 
    Spring Break  

 
Mar 16 
 Grand canonical ensemble 6.1-6.3  
 
 Quantum statistical mechanics I: Mixed states 7.1-7.2 HW04 due Friday
Mar 23 
 Quantum statistical mechanics II: Many quantum particles 7.3  
 
 Quantum statistical mechanics III: Density of states 7.4 HW05 due Friday
Mar 30 
 Quantum monatomic ideal gas L15  
 
 Quantum monatomic ideal gas L15 HW06 due Friday
Apr 06 
 Fermions: T = 0, Fermi energy and temperature    
 
 Fermions: Finite-temperature thermodynamics 8.1

 [ Test 2 Fri 4/10 ]
Apr 13 
 Bosons: The photon gas 8.2  
 
 Bosons: Cold boson gases 9.1 HW07 due Friday
Apr 20 
 Bosons: Phonons and magnons 9.2-9.3  
 
 Phase transitions: Mean-field ferromagnetism   HW08 due Friday
Apr 27 
 Phase transitions: Ising model Ch. 10  
Phase transitions: Landau theory Ch. 10 HW09 due Friday
May 06 
 Tuesday, 12:00 – 3:00 PM, Final Exam – schedule of presentations

Phys 727:   main  |  schedule  |  lecture notes  |  syllabus  |  announcements
page by luca bombelli <bombelli at olemiss.edu>, modified 15 feb 2026