Statistical Mechanics


Product Description
This classic text, first published in 1972, is designed for graduate physics courses in statistical mechanics. The second edition, published in 1996, incorporated three comprehensive chapters on phase transitions and critical phenomena.This third edition includes new sections on Bose-Einstein condensation and degenerate Fermi behavior of ultracold atomic gases, and two new chapters on computer simulation methods and the thermodynamics of the early universe. We have also added new sections on chemical and phase equilibrium, and expanded our discussions of correlations and scattering, quantized fields, finite-size effects and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. We hope this new edition will continue to provide new generations of students with a solid training in the methods of statistical physics.
-Bose-Einstein condensation in atomic gases -Thermodynamics of the early universe -Computer simulations: Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics -Correlation functions and scattering -Fluctuation-dissipation theorem and the dynamical structure factor -Chemical equilibrium -Exact solution of the two-dimensional Ising model for finite systems -Degenerate atomic Fermi gases -Exact solutions of one-dimensional fluid models -Interactions in ultracold Bose and Fermi gases -Brownian motion of anisotropic particles and harmonic oscillators
</p>Statistical Mechanics Review
This is a book on statistical mechanics written for physicists. While most books dedicate a chapter or so to the treatment of stat mech. of quantum systems, this book uses the statistics of quantum systems as its foundations. While this means that the reader must possess a very firm grounding in quantum, it does eliminate some 'problems' of stat mech. such as the Gibbs paradox. It also makes some of the derivations simpler because once the quantum version of a phenomenon has been derived, the classical limit generally follows immediately. This book is not an easy read. I found that the equations were not always well motivated in the text. Even so, there are usually references to previous equations that will help in the understanding of whatever the current section is covering. One thing that I really like about this book is that the equations are numbered by sections and only the equations that are referenced in the text are given labels so that you don't wind up with numbering that goes into the hundreds (I realize that this is purely a stylistic point but it makes a difference in the readability in my view). I did have a hard time following the chapters on phase transitions and critical phenomena, but after reading parts of Statistical and Thermal Physics: With Computer Applications, which has a very good treatment of this subject, I was able to come back and understand it a bit better. I also found the chapter on the stat mech. of the early universe quite interesting even if it seemed rather tangential to the rest of the book.Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Statistical Mechanics" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Statistical Mechanics ...

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