Introduction to Statistical Physics

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Springer Science & Business Media, Feb 8, 2001 - Science - 378 pages
Intended for beginning graduate students or advanced undergraduates, this text covers the statistical basis of thermodynamics, including examples from solid-state physics. It also treats some topics of more recent interest such as phase transitions and non-equilibrium phenomena. The presentation introducesmodern concepts, such as the thermodynamic limit and equivalence of Gibbs ensembles, and uses simple models (ideal gas, Einstein solid, simple paramagnet) and many examples to make the mathematical ideas clear. Frequently used mathematical methods are discussed in detail and reviews in an appendix. The book begins with a review of statistical methods and classical thermodynamics, making it suitable for students from a variety of backgrounds. Statistical mechanics is formulated in the microcanonical ensemble; some simple arguments and many examples are used to construct th canonical and grand-canonical ensembles. The discussion of quantum statistical mechanics includes Bose and Fermi ideal gases, the Bose-Einstein condensation, blackbody radiation, phonons and magnons. The van der Waals and Curoe-Weiss phenomenological models are used to illustrate the classical theories of phase transitions and critical phenomena; modern developments are intorducted with discussions of the Ising model, scaling theory, and renormalization-group ideas. The book concludes withy two chapters on nonequilibrium phenomena: one using Boltzmann's kinetic approach, and the other based on stochastic methods. Exercises at the end of each chapter are an integral part of the course, clarifying and extending topics discussed in the text. Hints and solutions can be found on the author's web site.
 

Contents

II
1
III
2
IV
4
V
6
VI
9
VII
12
VIII
15
IX
19
LVII
171
LVIII
176
LIX
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LX
187
LXI
188
LXII
199
LXIII
208
LXIV
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X
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XI
25
XII
29
XIII
33
XIV
35
XV
39
XVII
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XVIII
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XIX
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XXI
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XXII
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XXIII
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XXIV
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XXV
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XXVI
62
XXVII
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XXVIII
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XXIX
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XXX
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XXXI
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XXXII
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XXXIII
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XXXIV
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XXXV
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XXXVI
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XXXVII
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XXXVIII
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XXXIX
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XL
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XLI
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XLII
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XLIII
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XLIV
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XLV
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XLVI
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XLVII
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XLVIII
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XLIX
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L
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LI
149
LII
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LIII
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LIV
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LV
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LVI
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LXV
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LXVI
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LXVII
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LXVIII
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LXIX
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LXX
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LXXI
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LXXII
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LXXIII
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LXXIV
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LXXV
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LXXVI
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LXXVII
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LXXVIII
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LXXIX
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LXXX
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LXXXI
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LXXXII
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LXXXIII
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LXXXIV
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LXXXVII
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LXXXVIII
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LXXXIX
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XC
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XCI
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XCII
318
XCIII
326
XCIV
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XCV
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XCVI
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XCVII
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XCVIII
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XCIX
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C
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CI
357
CII
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CIII
360
CIV
362
CV
363
CVI
365
CVII
368
CVIII
371
CIX
375
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