A Course In Statistical Thermodynamics

Book excerpt: A Course in Statistical Thermodynamics explores the physical aspects of the methodology of statistical thermodynamics without the use of advanced mathematical methods. This book is divided into 14 chapters that focus on a correct statement of the Gibbsian ensemble theory couched in quantum-mechanical terms throughout. The introductory chapters emphasize the concept of equilibrium, phase space, the principle of their quantization, and the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and spectroscopy. These topics are followed by an exposition of the statistical method, revealing that the structure of the physical theory is closely modeled on mathematical statistics. A chapter focuses on stationary ensembles and the restatement of the First, Second, and Third Law of Thermodynamics. The remaining chapters highlight the various specialized applications of statistical thermodynamics, including real and degenerate gases, simple solids, radiation, magnetic systems, nonequilibrium states, and fluctuations. These chapters also provide a rigorous derivation of Boltzmann's equation, the H-theorem, and the vexing paradox that arises when microscopic reversibility must be reconciled with irreversible behavior in the large. This book can be used for two semesters in the junior or senior years, or as a first-year graduate course in statistical thermodynamics.