Statistical mechanics [[electronic resource] /] / R.K. Pathria

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910458435103321
• Autore: Pathria R. K
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Oxford ; ; Boston, : Butterworth-Heinemann, 1996
• ISBN: 1-281-07702-X; 9786611077020; 0-08-054171-2
• Edizione: [2nd ed.]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (545 p.)
• Disciplina: 530.1/3
• Soggetti: Statistical mechanics; Statistical physics; Electronic books.
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references (p. 513-522) and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Front Cover; Statistical Mechanics; Copyright Page; Contents; Preface to the Second Edition; Preface to the First Edition; Historical Introduction; Notes; Chapter 1. The Statistical Basis of Thermodynamics; 1.1. The macroscopic and the microscopic states; 1.2. Contact between statistics and thermodynamics: physical significance of the number Ω(N,V, E); 1.3. Further contact between statistics and thermodynamics; 1.4. The classical ideal gas; 1.5. The entropy of mixing and the Gibbs paradox; 1.6. The ""correct"" enumeration of the microstates; Problems; Notes; Chapter 2. Elements of Ensemble Theory2.1. Phase space of a classical system; 2.2. Liouville's theorem and its consequences; 2.3. The microcanonical ensemble; 2.4. Examples; 2.5. Quantum states and the phase space; Problems; Notes; Chapter 3. The Canonical Ensemble; 3.1. Equilibrium between a system and a heat reservoir; 3.2. A system in the canonical ensemble; 3.3. Physical significance of the various statistical quantities in the canonical ensemble; 3.4. Alternative expressions for the partition function; 3.5. The classical systems; 3.6. Energy fluctuations in the canonical ensemble: correspondence with the microcanonical ensemble3.7. Two theorems-the ""equipartition"" and the ""virial""; 3.8. A system of harmonic oscillators; 3.9. The statistics of paramagnetism; 3.10. Thermodynamics of ; magnetic systems: negative temperatures; Problems; Notes; Chapter 4. The Grand Canonical Ensemble; 4.1. Equilibrium between a system and a particle-energy reservoir; 4.2. A system in the grand canonical ensemble; 4.3. Physical significance of the various statistical quantities; 4.4. Examples; 4.5. Density and energy fluctuations in the grand canonical ensemble: correspondence with other ensemblesProblems; Notes; Chapter 5. Formulation of Quantum Statistics; 5.1. Quantum-mechanical ensemble theory: the density matrix; 5.2. Statistics of the various ensembles; 5.3. Examples; 5.4. Systems composed of indistinguishable particles; 5.5. The density matrix and the partition function of a system of free particles; Problems; Notes; Chapter 6. The Theory of Simple Gases; 6.1. An ideal gas in a quantum-mechanical microcanonical ensemble; 6.2. An ideal gas in other quantum-mechanical ensembles6.3. Statistics of the occupation numbers; 6.4. Kinetic considerations; 6.5. Gaseous systems composed of molecules with internal motion; Problems; Notes; Chapter 7. Ideal Bose Systems; 7.1. Thermodynamic behavior of an ideal Bose gas; 7.2. Thermodynamics of the black-body radiation; 7.3. The field of sound waves; 7.4. Inertial density of the sound field; 7.5. Elementary excitations in liquid helium II; Problems; Notes; Chapter 8. Ideal Fermi Systems; 8.1. Thermodynamic behavior of an ideal Fermi gas; 8.2. Magnetic behavior of an ideal Fermi gas
• Sommario/riassunto: 'This is an excellent book from which to learn the methods and results of statistical mechanics.' Nature 'A well written graduate-level text for scientists and engineers... Highly recommended for graduate-level libraries.' ChoiceThis highly successful text, which first appeared in the year 1972 and has continued to be popular ever since, has now been brought up-to-date by incorporating the remarkable developments in the field of 'phase transitions and critical phenomena' that took place over the intervening years. This has been done by adding three new chapters (comprising over 15