Thermal Physics
eBook - PDF

Thermal Physics

Energy and Entropy

  1. English
  2. PDF
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Thermal Physics

Energy and Entropy

About this book

Written by distinguished physics educator David Goodstein, this fresh introduction to thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and the study of matter is ideal for undergraduate courses. The textbook looks at the behavior of thermodynamic variables and examines partial derivatives - the essential language of thermodynamics. It also explores states of matter and the phase transitions between them, the ideal gas equation, and the behavior of the atmosphere. The origin and meaning of the laws of thermodynamics are then discussed, together with Carnot engines and refrigerators, and the notion of reversibility. Later chapters cover the partition function, the density of states, and energy functions, as well as more advanced topics such as the interactions between particles and equations for the states of gases of varying densities. Favoring intuitive and qualitative descriptions over exhaustive mathematical derivations, the textbook uses numerous problems and worked examples to help readers get to grips with the subject.

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Yes, you can access Thermal Physics by David Goodstein in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Physical Sciences & Physics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
2015
Print ISBN
9781107080119
eBook ISBN
9781316191682
Topic
Physical Sciences
Subtopic
Physics
Index
Physics
Example
1.2.3
Suppose
that
in
Problem
1.4
,
part
(b),
the
two
particles
that
are
to
divide
between
them
25
units
of
energy
are
somehow
distinguishable
from
each
other.
How
many
states
would
then
be
possible?
Answer:
Twice
as
many
as
before,
i.e.
2
Ɨ
3906
Ā¼
7812.
In
the
previous
(correct)
way
of
counting
states,
there
was,
for
example,
one
state
of
the
system
in
which
the
levels
(0,
0,
0)
and
(5,
0,
0)
were
occupied.
If
the
atoms
wereĀ distinguishableĀ soĀ thatĀ weĀ couldĀ callĀ them,Ā say,Ā atomĀ aĀ andĀ atomĀ b,Ā we
would
have
one
state
with
atom
a
in
(0,
0,
0)
and
atom
b
in
(5,
0,
0),
and
another
with
atom
a
in
(5,
0,
0)
and
atom
b
in
(0,
0,
0).
In
this
way,
for
each
stateĀ ofĀ indistinguishableĀ atomsĀ weĀ getĀ twoĀ statesĀ ifĀ theyĀ areĀ distinguishable.
Problem
1.5
How
many
states
would
we
get
if
the
atoms
were
distinguishable
in
parts
(a)
and
(c)
of
Problem
1.4
?
Hint:
The
answer
is
less
than
twice
as
many
in
each
case.
The
important
difference
between
the
two
ways
of
counting
states
is
this:
The
correct
method
for
indistinguishable
atoms
is
to
specify
only
Albert
Einstein
1.2
Counting
quantum
states
13

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half-title
  3. Title page
  4. Copyright information
  5. Table of contents
  6. Preface
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. 1 The basic ideas of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics
  9. 2 The care and feeding of thermodynamic variables
  10. 3 Gases and other matters
  11. 4 The laws of thermodynamics
  12. 5 The Boltzmann factor and the partition function
  13. 6 Thermodynamic functions
  14. 7 Statistical mechanics for fixed and variable N
  15. 8 More advanced topics
  16. Solutions to the problems
  17. Index