Introductory Statistical Mechanics (Second Edition)
Published in Print:21 October 1999 Published Online:31 August 2023
ISBN:9780198505761
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Abstract
Introductory Statistical Mechanics explains the ideas and techniques of statistical mechanics—the theory of condensed matter—in a simplean accessible and progressive way. The text starts with the laws of thermodynamics and basic simple ideas of quantum mechanics. The conceptual ideas underlying the subject are explained, and; the mathematical ideas are developed in parallel to give a coherent overall view. The text is illustrated with examples not just from solid-state physics, but also from recent theories of radiation from black holes and recent data on the background radiation from the cosmic background explorer.
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Contents
- Front Matter
- 1. The first law of thermodynamics
- 2. Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics
- 3. Probability and statistics
- 4. The ideas of statistical mechanics
- 5. The canonical ensemble
- 6. Identical particles
- 7. Maxwell distribution of molecular speeds
- 8. Planck's distribution
- 9. Systems with variable numbers of particles
- 10. Fermi and Bose particles
- 11. Phase transitions
- 12. Continuous phase transitions
- 13. Ginzburg–Landau theory
- End Matter
© R. M. Bowley and M. Sánchez, 1996, 1999
