Ebook: Statistical Physics

In this revised and enlarged second edition of an established text Tony Guénault provides a clear and refreshingly readable introduction to statistical physics, an essential component of any first degree in physics. The treatment itself is self-contained and concentrates on an understanding of the physical ideas, without requiring a high level of mathematical sophistication.

A straightforward quantum approach to statistical averaging is adopted from the outset (easier, the author believes, than the classical approach). The initial part of the book is geared towards explaining the equilibrium properties of a simple isolated assembly of particles. Thus, several important topics, for example an ideal spin-½ solid, can be discussed at an early stage. The treatment of gases gives full coverage to Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics.

Towards the end of the book the student is introduced to a wider viewpoint and new chapters are included on chemical thermodynamics, interactions in, for example, liquid helium-3 and helium-4, and statistics under extreme conditions (superconductivity and astrophysical systems).

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In this revised and enlarged second edition of an established text, Tony Gu?nault provides a clear and refreshingly readable introduction to statistical physics, an essential component of any first degree in physics. The treatment itself is self-contained and concentrates on an understanding of the physical ideas, without requiring a high level of mathematical sophistication.

The book adopts a straightforward quantum approach to statistical averaging from the outset. The initial part of the book is geared towards explaining the equilibrium properties of a simple isolated assembly of particles. Thus, several important topics, for example an ideal spin-? solid, can be discussed at an early stage. The treatment of gases gives full coverage to Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics.

Towards the end of the book the student is introduced to a wider viewpoint and new chapters are included on chemical thermodynamics, interactions in, for example, liquid helium-3 and helium-4, and statistics under extreme conditions (superconductivity and astrophysical systems).

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In this revised and enlarged second edition of an established text, Tony Gu?nault provides a clear and refreshingly readable introduction to statistical physics, an essential component of any first degree in physics. The treatment itself is self-contained and concentrates on an understanding of the physical ideas, without requiring a high level of mathematical sophistication.

The book adopts a straightforward quantum approach to statistical averaging from the outset. The initial part of the book is geared towards explaining the equilibrium properties of a simple isolated assembly of particles. Thus, several important topics, for example an ideal spin-? solid, can be discussed at an early stage. The treatment of gases gives full coverage to Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics.

Towards the end of the book the student is introduced to a wider viewpoint and new chapters are included on chemical thermodynamics, interactions in, for example, liquid helium-3 and helium-4, and statistics under extreme conditions (superconductivity and astrophysical systems).

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Basic ideas....Pages 1-11
Distinguishable particles....Pages 13-24
Two examples....Pages 25-41
Gases: the density of states....Pages 43-50
Gases: the distributions....Pages 51-62
Maxwell-Boltzmann gases....Pages 63-72
Diatomic gases....Pages 73-81
Fermi-Dirac gases....Pages 83-95
Bose-Einstein gases....Pages 97-110
Entropy in other situations....Pages 111-117
Phase transitions....Pages 119-128
Two new ideas....Pages 129-136
Chemical thermodynamics....Pages 137-152
Dealing with interactions....Pages 153-168
Statistics under extreme conditions....Pages 169-180
Back Matter....Pages 181-204

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In this revised and enlarged second edition of an established text, Tony Gu?nault provides a clear and refreshingly readable introduction to statistical physics, an essential component of any first degree in physics. The treatment itself is self-contained and concentrates on an understanding of the physical ideas, without requiring a high level of mathematical sophistication.

The book adopts a straightforward quantum approach to statistical averaging from the outset. The initial part of the book is geared towards explaining the equilibrium properties of a simple isolated assembly of particles. Thus, several important topics, for example an ideal spin-? solid, can be discussed at an early stage. The treatment of gases gives full coverage to Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics.

Towards the end of the book the student is introduced to a wider viewpoint and new chapters are included on chemical thermodynamics, interactions in, for example, liquid helium-3 and helium-4, and statistics under extreme conditions (superconductivity and astrophysical systems).

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Basic ideas....Pages 1-11
Distinguishable particles....Pages 13-24
Two examples....Pages 25-41
Gases: the density of states....Pages 43-50
Gases: the distributions....Pages 51-62
Maxwell-Boltzmann gases....Pages 63-72
Diatomic gases....Pages 73-81
Fermi-Dirac gases....Pages 83-95
Bose-Einstein gases....Pages 97-110
Entropy in other situations....Pages 111-117
Phase transitions....Pages 119-128
Two new ideas....Pages 129-136
Chemical thermodynamics....Pages 137-152
Dealing with interactions....Pages 153-168
Statistics under extreme conditions....Pages 169-180
Back Matter....Pages 181-204
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