Advanced Statistical Physics

Code:

F4043

Acronym:

F4043

Level:

400

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Physics

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Physics and Astronomy
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Physics

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:A_ASTR	2	Study plan since academic year 2024/2025	1	-	6	42	162
			2
M:F	12	Official Study Plan	1	-	6	42	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Introduction to the study of phase transitions in equilibrium systems; study some examples of nonequilibrium phase transitions and ''complex behaviour'.

Learning outcomes and competences

General knowledge on phase transitions. Ability for analytic calculations, critical spirit.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Intermediate level Statistical Physics

Program

- Reviews and complements on probability theory, identical particles systems and foundations of statistical mechanics

- Methods for calculating thermodynamic quantities in interacting systems.

- Thermodynamics of phase transitions

- Order-disorder transitions and the renormalization theory

-Dissipative dynamics.

Mandatory literature

Kardar , Mehran; Statistical physics of particles. ISBN: 978-0-521-87342-0
Kardar , Mehran; Statistical physics of fields. ISBN: 978-0-521-87341-3
Reichl, L.; A Modern Course in Statistical Physics, 2ed, Wiley, 1998

Complementary Bibliography

Klages, R.; et al; Nonequilibrium Statistical Physics of Small Systems: Fluctuation Relations and Beyond, Wiley, 2013
Puglisi, A.; et al.; Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Small Systems, Mdpi AG, 2018

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures of an expository nature; solving assigned problems at home.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	120,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Students who attend the course for the first time can give a maximum of 3 absences to theoretical-practical classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

70% x final_exam  + 30% x Solution of assigned problems.

Classification improvement

Only the final exam component of the classification can be improved.

Observations

The jury of the curricular unit includes:
-João M. Viana P. Lopes
- Miguel Nunes da Silva
- Vitor Pereira