Physics of Liquids and of Disordered Systems


course ID

Lecturer

CFU

6

Length

14 Weeks

Semester DD

First


Course details

Phase diagrams of the liquid state. Quantum solids and liquids. Radial distributionfunctions. Cell models. Macroscopic properties of liquids. Transport properties. Surface energy and vapour pressures. Van der Waals equation and mean field theories. Interatomic potentials. Thermodynamical averages, correlation functions, Fourier transforms. Pair correlation functions for classical and quantum fluids. Basic principles of molecular dynamics. Molecular liquids. Microscopic structure and dynamics of water. Velocity autocorrelation function. Van Hove correlation functions. Dynamical and static structure factors. Basic principles of neutron, X-Ray, and electron scattering techniques. The glass transition, strong-fragile classification. Vibrational dynamics of glasses. Momentum distributions and single particle quantum properties in liquid helium, molecular liquids and amorphous systems.

Objectives

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Knowledge of response function and static and dynamical correlation functions in simple and molecular liquids. Quantum effects on the microscopic properties of fluids. Microscopic response at low, intermediate and high wave vectors. Base knowledge of the principal experimental techniques for structure factor determination

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Students will be able to acquire a comprehension of the methods to describe and characterize macroscopic and microscopic properties of liquids and glasses, including the relevance of nuclear quantum effects on the thermodynamical and microscopic properties. Verification of knowledge will be carried out at the final oral exam.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Students will be able to identify the main connections between macroiscopic properties of liquids and theri microscopic structure and dynamics, relating these properties with the correspondig propoerties of other condensed phases.

MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
Students will be able to evaluate expected properties of liquid systems with increasing molecular complexity, relatong these with other condensed matter aggregation states (solid, gas). They also must be able to read and understand a scientific paper in the relevant sector

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Students will be able to manage and monitor their activity within their course while mantaining effective communication putting forward relevant questions and request of in depht explaination of specific subjects, and they must be able to communicate their results to apecialists as well as to a broader audience.