Overview
- Features modern and comprehensive coverage of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics
- Clearly explains complex topics such as entropy and distribution functions
- Provides a solid theoretical foundation for understanding phase transitions
Part of the book series: Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics (ULNP)
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About this book
This undergraduate-level textbook offers a unique and in-depth approach to the study of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. It covers the fundamentals of thermodynamics using both traditional and postulatory approaches, including origin of the concept of thermodynamic entropy, Euler’s equation, Gibbs-Duhem relations, stability of equilibrium, and the concept of thermodynamic potentials, and that of independent thermodynamic observables. The book then delves into the microscopic foundation of thermodynamics, starting with the kinetic theory and highlighting its historical development. Boltzmann's concept of entropy is explored, along with its applications in deriving Planck’s, Bose’s, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac distribution functions. The formal structure of classical and quantum statistical mechanics is built based on the concept of statistical entropy and the maximum entropy principle and used to investigate in detail the thermodynamic properties of ideal classical and quantum systems. The book also covers phase transitions, simple theory of critical phenomena, and the theory of interacting van der Waals gases. Throughout the text, the book provides historical context, enriching the reader's understanding. This textbook is a valuable resource for undergraduate physics students, offering comprehensive coverage, including overlooked topics, and a historical perspective on thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.
Keywords
- Undergraduate Thermodynamics Textbook
- Thermodynamic Potentials
- Entropic Stability
- Independent Thermodynamic Observables
- History of Kinetic Theory
- Quantum Black Body Law
- Difference Between Boltzmann and Shannon Entropy
- Combinatorics Methods for Entropy Evaluation
- Ensembles and Maximum Entropy Principle
- Shannon's Information Theoretic Approach
- Phase Space Distribution
- Thermodynamics of Non-Interacting Classical and Quantum Gases
- Relationship of Statistical Entropy with Thermodynamics
- Equilibrium Distribution Functions and Quantum Density Matrix
- Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena
- Interacting van der Waals Gas
- Quantum Energy Distribution Function
- Quantum Molecules in Free Space
Table of contents (14 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Ravinder R. Puri is a visiting professor in the discipline of physics, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India. During 1974-2012 he served in various positions as a scientist in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India. Concurrently he was the Dean, Homi Bhabha National Institute during 2004-2012, a distinguished guest professor during 2009-2014 at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and a visiting professor at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1997. He was a Humboldt Fellow at the University of Essen, Germany.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Modern Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
Book Subtitle: A Comprehensive Foundation
Authors: Ravinder R. Puri
Series Title: Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54310-4
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-54312-8Due: 09 June 2024
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-54310-4Published: 08 May 2024
Series ISSN: 2192-4791
Series E-ISSN: 2192-4805
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVI, 399
Number of Illustrations: 36 b/w illustrations
Topics: Thermodynamics, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Quantum Physics, Theoretical, Mathematical and Computational Physics