Thermal Physics: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers

In Thermal Physics: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers, the fundamental laws of thermodynamics are stated precisely as postulates and subsequently connected to historical context and developed mathematically. These laws are applied systematically to topics such as phase equilibria, chemical reactions, external forces, fluid-fluid surfaces and interfaces, and anisotropic crystal-fluid interfaces.

Statistical mechanics is presented in the context of information theory to quantify entropy, followed by development of the most important ensembles: microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical. A unified treatment of ideal classical, Fermi, and Bose gases is presented, including Bose condensation, degenerate Fermi gases, and classical gases with internal structure. Additional topics include paramagnetism, adsorption on dilute sites, point defects in crystals, thermal aspects of intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, density matrix formalism, the Ising model, and an introduction to Monte Carlo simulation.

Throughout the book, problems are posed and solved to illustrate specific results and problem-solving techniques.

• Includes applications of interest to physicists, physical chemists, and materials scientists, as well as materials, chemical, and mechanical engineers
• Suitable as a textbook for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and practicing researchers
• Develops content systematically with increasing order of complexity
• Self-contained, including nine appendices to handle necessary background and technical details

Table of Contents

Part I – Thermodynamics
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 First Law Of Thermodynamics
Chapter 3 Second Law Of Thermodynamics
Chapter 4 Third Law Of Thermodynamics
Chapter 5 Open Systems
Chapter 6 Equilibrium And Thermodynamic Potentials
Chapter 7 Requirements For Stability
Chapter 8 Monocomponent Phase Equilibrium
Chapter 9 Two-Phase Equilibrium For A Van Der Waals Fluid
Chapter 10 Binary Solutions
Chapter 11 External Forces And Rotating Coordinate Systems
Chapter 12 Chemical Reactions
Chapter 13 Thermodynamics Of Fluid-Fluid Interfaces
Chapter 14 Thermodynamics Of Solid-Fluid Interfaces

Part II – Statistical Mechanics
Chapter 15 Entropy And Information Theory
Chapter 16 Microcanonical Ensemble
Chapter 17 Classical Microcanonical Ensemble
Chapter 18 Distinguishable Particles With Negligible Interaction Energies
Chapter 19 Canonical Ensemble
Chapter 20 Classical Canonical Ensemble
Chapter 21 Grand Canonical Ensemble
Chapter 22 Entropy For Any Ensemble
Chapter 23 Unified Treatment Of Ideal Fermi, Bose, And Classical Gases
Chapter 24 Bose Condensation
Chapter 25 Degenerate Fermi Gas
Chapter 26 Quantum Statistics
Chapter 27 Ising Model

Part III – Appendices
Appendix A Stirling’S Approximation
Appendix B Use Of Jacobians To Convert Partial Derivatives
Appendix C Differential Geometry Of Surfaces
Appendix D Equilibrium Of Two-State Systems
Appendix E Aspects Of Canonical Transformations
Appendix F Rotation Of Rigid Bodies
Appendix G Thermodynamic Perturbation Theory
Appendix H Selected Mathematical Relations
Appendix I Creation And Annihilation Operators