Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics
Language: English
Pages: 651
ISBN: 1577666127
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
All macroscopic systems consist ultimately of atoms obeying the laws of quantum mechanics. That premise forms the basis for this comprehensive text, intended for a first upper-level course in statistical and thermal physics. Reif emphasizes that the combination of microscopic concepts with some statistical postulates leads readily to conclusions on a purely macroscopic level. The author s writing style and penchant for description energize interest in condensed matter physics as well as provide a conceptual grounding with information that is crystal clear and memorable. Reif first introduces basic probability concepts and statistical methods used throughout all of physics. Statistical ideas are then applied to systems of particles in equilibrium to enhance an understanding of the basic notions of statistical mechanics, from which derive the purely macroscopic general statements of thermodynamics. Next, he turns to the more complicated equilibrium situations, such as phase transformations and quantum gases, before discussing nonequilibrium situations in which he treats transport theory and dilute gases at varying levels of sophistication. In the last chapter, he addresses some general questions involving irreversible processes and fluctuations. A large amount of material is presented to facilitate students later access to more advanced works, to allow those with higher levels of curiosity to read beyond the minimum given on a topic, and to enhance understanding by presenting several ways of looking at a particular question. Formatting within the text either signals material that instructors can assign at their own discretion or highlights important results for easy reference to them. Additionally, by solving many of the 230 problems contained in the text, students activate and embed their knowledge of the subject matter.
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quasicontinuous normalization condition variables, the sum over all integral values of nx can by an integral. Thus the normalization condition be approximately replaced can be written s J W(nx) m-0 « / W(nx) dm = f'm W{ilx + 9) drj = 1 (1-5*17) » to excellent approximation be extended from integrand makes a negligible contribution to the integral wherever \rj\ is large enough so that W is far from its pronounced maximum value. Substituting (1-5-7) into (1-5-17) and using
movable piston. The one external pummeler is a the distance s, which is the distance the distance likely = of the. u piston from the end wall of cylinder. pose that this s or «,- system is initially in equilibrium, the piston being clamped at a s: from the end wall of the cylinder. The system is then equally to be in any of its possible states compatible with the initial value and with the initial energy E< of the system. Suppose that some external device compressing now
obtained by simply multiplying the respective probabilities of each molecule being in the left half, Le., now Pi = When N is of the order of Avogadro's probability is fantastically small; i.e., Pi Example conducting. « (*)* number, so that N « 6 X 10*', ..-tfa£s 10-*X1*M Imagine that the partition in Fig. 2*7 1 is made thermally the former constraint because the systems A and A* are now free to exchange energy with each other. The number of states accessible to the combined system
becomes possible to apply statistical arguments to them. But as every gambler, insurance agent, or other person concerned with the calculation of probabilities knows, statistical arguments become most satisfactory when they can be applied to large numbers. What a pleasure, then, to be able to apply them to cases where the numbers are as large as 1023, i.e., Avogadro's number! In systems such as gases, liquids, or solids where one deals with very many identical particles, statistical arguments
Sec. 3-10, that the entropy S is a completely calculable number and is not merely defined lo within an arbitrary additive constant. This reflects itself in the third law statement that the entropy approaches, as T —> 0, a definite value So (usually *S0 0) independent of all parameters of the system. To obtain = absolute value of the entropy one can either use statistical mechanics to calculate the absolute value of the entropy in the standard state, or one can an entropy differences from a
