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Informationen zum Autor Keith Stowe is the Professor of Physics at California Polytechnic State University, and has worked there for 32 years. He has spent time at the University of Washington, Harvard University, the University of North Carolina and the University of Michigan. As well as the first edition of Introduction to Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics he has written books on ocean science. Klappentext This introductory textbook for standard undergraduate courses in thermodynamics has been completely rewritten. Starting with an overview of important quantum behaviours! the book teaches students how to calculate probabilities! in order to provide a firm foundation for later chapters. It introduces the ideas of classical thermodynamics and explores them both in general and as they are applied to specific processes and interactions. The remainder of the book deals with statistical mechanics - the study of small systems interacting with huge reservoirs. The changes to this second edition have been made after more than 10 years classroom testing and student feedback. Each topic ends with a boxed summary of ideas and results! and every chapter contains numerous homework problems! covering a broad range of difficulties. Answers are given to odd numbered problems! and solutions to even problems are available to instructors at www.cambridge.org/9780521865579. Zusammenfassung An introductory textbook for standard undergraduate courses in thermodynamics! covering important quantum behaviours! classical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. Introduction; Part II. Small Systems: 2. Statistics for small systems; 3. Systems with many elements; Part III. Energy and the First Law: 4. Internal energy; 5. Interactions between systems; Part IV. States and the Second Law: 6. Internal energy and the number of accessible states; 7. Entropy and the second law; 8. Entropy and thermal interactions; Part V. Constraints: 9. Natural constraints; 10. Models; 11. Choice of variables; 12. Special processes; 13. Engines; 14. Diffusive interactions; Part VI. Classical Statistics: 15. Probabilities and microscopic behaviours; 16. Kinetic theory and transport processes in gases; 17. Magnetic properties of materials; 18. The partition function; Part VII. Quantum Statistics: 19. Introduction to quantum statistics; 20. Quantum gases; 21. Blackbody radiation; 22. The thermal properties of solids; 23. The electrical properties of materials; 24. Low temperatures and degenerate systems; Appendices; Further reading; Problem solutions; Index....
