p. 674. The ideas of statistical mechanics
- Roger BowleyRoger BowleyDepartment of Physics University of Nottingham
- , and Mariana Sánchez
Abstract
This chapter discusses the microscopic basis of entropy, how to calculate the equation of state for a system, and the physical basis of the second law that ensures that entropy increases as a function of time. It cites Ludwig Boltzmann's hypothesis, which states that the entropy of a system is related to the probability of its state and its basis is statistical. The chapter also focuses on statistical mechanics, wherein thermal properties are calculated by using statistical ideas together with a knowledge of the laws of mechanics obeyed by the particles that make up a system. The chapter highlights that the power of statistical mechanics is grounded in the fact that it uses simple ideas and involves general techniques. It demonstrates the notion of statistical probability, which is obtained by considering a series of identical measurements made over a period of time on a single system.
