Paradigms in Physics: Energy and Entropy | 2026-Winter
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Syllabus
Course Name
Paradigms in Physics: Energy and Entropy
Course Number
ph423
Year/Term
Winter-2026
Course Credits
3
Class meeting times
7 hours of lecture per week for five weeks
Prerequisites
Recommended PH 213
Course description
Thermodynamics and canonical statistical mechanics.
Topic/Day
Activities
Resources
Homework Due
Day 1 W1 D1
Day 2 W1 D2
Interpreting derivatives
Name the experiment
Day 2 W1 D3
Ice calorimetry lab
Ice Calorimetry Lab
Textbook reading: Schroeder section 1.6 "Heat Capacities".
HW 1
HW 1 (pdf)
Day 4 W2 D1
Math Bits:
Differentials
Zapping with d (Lecture)
Differentials (4:08)
GMM: Differentials
GMM: Rules for Differentials
GMM: Properties of Differentials
GMM: Differentials: Summary
Math Bits:
The Multivariable Chain Rule
Product Rule for Differentials (3:14)
Chain Rule for Differentials (2:25)
GMM: The Multivariable Differential
GMM: Chain Rule
GMM: Applications of Chain Rule
GMM: Interpreting Differentials
Math Bits:
Derivatives and differentials
Day 5 W2 D2
Math Bits:
The Isothermal Bulk Modulus (Ethan version)
Zapping With d 1
Prep 5 (w/ Solution)
Prep 5 (pdf)
Math Bits:
Chain Rule Diagrams
Chain Rules (Lecture)
GMM: Chain Rule via Tree Diagrams
GMM: Things NOT to do with differentials
Day 6 W2 D3
Derivative of 1D function, 2D function
Isolength and Isoforce Stretchability on the PDM
Derivatives Are Observable (Lecture)
Thermodynamic Systems (Lecture)
GMM: Thick Derivatives
GMM: Leibniz Notation
State variables (4:05)
Thermodynamic systems (4:31)
Lab 1
Lab 1 (pdf)
Day 7 W3 D1
Math Bits:
Other multivariable systems
Isolength and Isoforce Stretchability on the PDM
Day 8 W3 D2
Math Bits:
Partial Derivatives (activity with surface)
HW 2
HW 2 (pdf)
Day 9 Mon 10/7
Symmetry of partial derivatives
Maxwell relations
Day 10 Tues 10/8
First and Second Laws of thermodynamics
Energy, heat and entropy
Fast and Slow
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Thermodynamic Identity
Free expansion
Heat and entropy (4:44)
What is entropy? (3:14)
HW 3
HW 3 (pdf)
Melting ice activity
Heat Capacity and Entropy
Melting Ice Lab
Heat capacity and entropy (9:33)
Day 11 Wed 10/9
Second Law
Second Law and Entropy
Thermodynamic Identity
Free expansion
Second Law of Thermodynamics (1:17)
Thermodynamic identity (7:12)
Day 12 Thurs 10/10
Discussion of free expansion worksheet
Free expansion
Day 13 Fri 10/11
Midterm review
HW 4
HW 4 (pdf)
Day 14 Mon 10/14
Midterm review
Midterm Review PH423 Ethan
Practice midterm (not graded)
Practice midterm (not graded) (pdf)
Day 15 Tues 10/15
MIDTERM
Day 16 Wed 10/16
Engines and Fridges
Heat Engines
Other views of the Second Law
Day 17 Thurs 10/17
Changing entropy
Heat and Work
Using $pV$ and $TS$ Plots
Day 18 Fri 10/18
Thermodynamics practice
Analyzing a Simple Cycle Using a $p V$ Diagram
Efficiency of reversible heat engines (4:48)
Reversible heat engines and cycles (5:57)
HW5
HW5 (pdf)
Day 19 Mon 10/21
Debrief on midterm results
Thermodynamic potentials
Maxwell Relations
Thermodynamic Potentials
Maxwell relations
Work or no work? (2min42s)
Day 20 Tues 10/22
The Rubber Band Lab
You will be collecting data to quantify the decrease in entropy when a rubber band is isothermally stretched.
HW 6 (updated 3:40pm Mon)
HW 6 (updated 3:40pm Mon) (pdf)
Day 21 Wed 10/23
Thermodynamics Practice
Section 2.1 Schroder
Name the experiment (Maxwell relations)
Video of Feynman discussing the rubber band
Day 22 Thurs 10/24
Segway to Stat Mech
Intro to Statistical Approach
Hakonen 1994 Science Article
Day 23 Fri 10/25
The Boltzmann factor
Interstellar medium
HW 7
HW 7 (pdf)
Day 24 Mon 10/28
Topic for Monday
Interstellar medium
Day 25 Tues 10/29
Boltzmann Statistics
HW8 (updated 5:23pm 10/28)
HW8 (updated 5:23pm 10/28) (pdf)
Day 26 Wed 10/30
Boltzmann Statistics
Water Bending
Day 27 Thurs 10/31
Thermodynamic properties from Boltzmann Stats
Concept review
Thermodynamics Game Show
Day 28 Fri 11/1
Review
Boltzmann Factor Practice Question
Final - Mon 11/4
Final exam
7:00pm - 9:00pm on Monday evening.