Statistical Physics I Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics [Paperback]

Statistical Physics I discusses the fundamentals of equilibrium statistical mechanics, focussing on basic physical aspects. No previous knowledge of thermodynamics or the molecular theory of gases is assumed. Illustrative examples based on simple materials and photon systems elucidate the central ideas and methods.Statistical Physics I discusses the fundamentals of equilibrium statistical mechanics, focussing on basic physical aspects. No previous knowledge of thermodynamics or the molecular theory of gases is assumed. Illustrative examples based on simple materials and photon systems elucidate the central ideas and methods.1. General Preliminaries.- 1.1 Overview.- 1.1.1 Subjects of Statistical Mechanics.- 1.1.2 Approach to Equilibrium.- 1.2 Averages.- 1.2.1 Probability Distribution.- 1.2.2 Averages and Thermodynamic Fluctuation.- 1.2.3 Averages of a Mechanical System  Virial Theorem.- 1.3 The Liouville Theorem.- 1.3.1 Density Matrix.- 1.3.2 Classical Liouvilles Theorem.- 1.3.3 Wigners Distribution Function.- 1.3.4 The Correspondence Between Classical and Quantum Mechanics.- 2. Outlines of Statistical Mechanics.- 2.1 The Principles of Statistical Mechanics.- 2.1.1 The Principle of Equal Probability.- 2.1.2 Microcanonical Ensemble.- 2.1.3 Boltzmanns Principle.- 2.1.4 The Number of Microscopic States, Thermodynamic Limit.- a) A Free Particle.- b) An Ideal Gas.- c) Spin System.- d) The Thermodynamic Limit.- 2.2 Temperature.- 2.2.1 Temperature Equilibrium.- 2.2.2 Temperature.- 2.3 External Forces.- 2.3.1 Pressure Equilibrium.- 2.3.2 Adiabatic Theorem.- a) Adiabatic Change.- b) Adiabatic Theorem in Statistical Mechanics.- c) Adiabatic Theorem in Classical Mechanics.- 2.3.3 Thermodynamic Relations.- 2.4 Subsystems with a Given Temperature.- 2.4.1 Canonical Ensemble.- 2.4.2 Boltzmann-Plancks Method.- 2.4.3 Sum Over States.- 2.4.4 Density Matrix and the Bloch Equation.- 2.5 Subsystems with a Given Pressure.- 2.6 Subsystems with a Gl#O