Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics (Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics)

Phillies, George D.J.

ISBN 10: 0387989188 / ISBN 13: 9780387989181

Published by Springer (edition 2000), 1999

About this Item

It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.

Seller Inventory # 0387989188-8-1

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics (Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics)
• Publisher: Springer (edition 2000)
• Publication Date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387989188
• ISBN 13: 9780387989181
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 2000.
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

This volume is based on courses on Statistical Mechanics which I have taught for many years at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. My objective is to treat classical statistical mechanics and its modem applications, especially interacting particles, correlation functions, and time-dependent phenomena. My development is based primarily on Gibbs's ensemble formulation. Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics is meant as a (relatively sophis­ ticated) undergraduate or (relatively straightforward) graduate text for physics students. It should also be suitable as a graduate text for physical chemistry stu­ dents. Physicists may find my treatment of algebraic manipulation to be more explicit than some other volumes. In my experience some of our colleagues are perhaps a bit over-enthusiastic about the ability or tendency of our students to complete gaps in the derivations. I emphasize a cyclic development of major themes. I could have begun with a fully detailed formal treatment of ensemble mechanics, as found in Gibbs's volume, and then given material realizations. I instead interleave formal discussions with simple concrete models. The models illustrate the formal definitions. The approach here gives students a chance to identify fundamental principles and methods before getting buried in ancillary details.

Review

FROM THE REVIEWS:

MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS
"Critical depth and vivid presentation of concepts are the best qualities of this textbook, which can be recommended for an introductory course in statistical mechanics...”