Statistical Mechanics

Clear and readable, this fine text assists students in achieving a grasp of the techniques and limitations of statistical mechanics. The treatment follows a logical progression from elementary to advanced theories, with careful attention to detail and mathematical development, and is sufficiently rigorous for introductory or intermediate graduate courses.Beginning with a study of the statistical mechanics of ideal gases and other systems of non-interacting particles, the text develops the theory in detail and applies it to the study of chemical equilibrium and the calculation of the thermodynamic properties of gases from molecular structure data. The second half offers a lucid, logical presentation of the canonical ensemble and of the grand ensemble, which constitute the theoretical bases for modern advanced equilibrium statistical mechanics. Other topics include the applications of both advanced and elementary theory to a number of interesting problems in physical chemistry ? radiation phenomena, the solid state, fluctuations and noise problems, the statistical mechanical aspects of light scattering theory, paramagnetism and magnetic cooling, dielectrics, the theory of electrolyte solutions, nonideal gases, distribution functions for dense fluids, and the Ising model for the study of order-disorder transitions in biological macromolecules. Numerous problems enhance the book's value as a classroom text.

Preface1. Introduction2. Classical Mechanics3. Quantum Mechanics4. Thermodynamics5. Mathematics6. The Statistical Mechanics of a System of Independent Particles7. Statistical Mechanics and Chemical Equilibrium8. Distribution Laws, Partition Functions, and Thermodynamic Functions for Atoms and Diatomic Molecules9. Nuclear Spin Statistics. Isotope Effects10. Classical Statistical Mechanics. The Kinetic Theory of Gases11. Polyatomic Molecules12. Black-body Radiation13. Canonical and Grand Canonical Ensembles14. Fluctuations, Noise, Brownian Motion15. Real Gases16. Lattice Vibrations and the Thermodynamic Properties of Crystals. Order-Disorder Phenomena17. A Digression on Electricity, Magnetism, and Units18. Dielectric Phenomena19. Magnetic Phenomena20. Distribution Functions and the Theory of Dense Fluids21. Solutions of Electrolytes. The Debye-Hückel Theory Appendixes. Index