Thermal Physics - Softcover

Baierlein, Ralph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521658381 ISBN 13: 9780521658386

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1999

Synopsis

Suitable for both undergraduates and graduates, this textbook provides an up-to-date, accessible introduction to thermal physics. The material provides a comprehensive understanding of thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and kinetic theory, and has been extensively tested in the classroom by the author who is an experienced teacher. This book begins with a clear review of fundamental ideas and goes on to construct a conceptual foundation of four linked elements: entropy and the Second Law, the canonical probability distribution, the partition function, and the chemical potential. This foundation is used throughout the book to help explain new topics and exciting recent developments such as Bose-Einstein condensation and critical phenomena. The highlighting of key equations, summaries of essential ideas, and an extensive set of problems of varying degrees of difficulty will allow readers to fully grasp both the basic and current aspects of the subject. A solutions manual is available for instructors. This book is an invaluable textbook for students in physics and astronomy.

About this title

Book Description:

This textbook provides a clear, instructive and highly readable introduction to thermal physics. Written by an experienced teacher, it provides a comprehensive grounding in thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and kinetic theory and also includes recent developments including Bose-Einstein condensation & critical phenomena. The modular structure allows a flexible approach to teaching and learning. Each chapter contains a summary of essential ideas, key equations are highlighted throughout and many problems of varying degrees of difficulty are included with a solutions manual available for instructors. Suitable for both undergraduates and graduates in physics and astronomy.

About the Author:

RALPH BAIERLEIN received his PhD from Princeton University; his thirty seven years of classroom teaching were spent at Harvard and at Wesleyan University, Connecticut. He has published papers in astrophysics, cosmology and relativity theory. For eight years he served as book review editor of the American Journal of Physics, and has written many papers related to the teaching of physics. In 1996 he was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0521658381
• ISBN 13: 9780521658386
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 460