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Concepts in Thermal Physics

Second Edition

Stephen J. Blundell and Katherine M. Blundell

01 October 2009

ISBN: 9780199562107

512 pages
Paperback
246x189mm

In Stock

Price: £32.99

This modern introduction to thermal physics contains a step-by-step presentation of the key concepts. The text is copiously illustrated and each chapter contains several worked examples.

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Description

This modern introduction to thermal physics contains a step-by-step presentation of the key concepts. The text is copiously illustrated and each chapter contains several worked examples.

  • Solutions manual available on request from the OUP website
  • Clear exposition and reader-friendly style.
  • Many helpful figures.
  • Lots of short, easily digestible chapters.
  • Modern, relevant examples involving exciting areas of physics
  • Mathematical ideas summarised in comprehensive appendices.

New to this edition

  • The second edition of this popular textbook maintains the structure and lively style of the first edition but extends its coverage of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to include several new topics, including osmosis, diffusion problems, Bayes theorem, radiative transfer, the Ising model and Monte Carlo methods. New examples and exercises have been added throughout.

About the Author(s)

Stephen J. Blundell, University of Oxford, UK, and Katherine M. Blundell, University of Oxford, UK

Table of Contents

    I: PRELIMINARIES
    1:Introduction
    2:Heat
    3:Probability
    4:Temperature and the Boltzmann factor
    II: KINETIC THEORY OF GASES
    5:The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution
    6:Pressure
    7:Molecular effusion
    8:The mean free path and collisions
    III: TRANSPORT AND THERMAL DIFFUSION
    9:Transport properties in gases
    10:The thermal diffusion equation
    IV: THE FIRST LAW
    11:Energy
    12:Isothermal and adiobatic processes
    V: THE SECOND LAW
    13:Heat engines and the second law
    14:Entropy
    15:Information theory
    VI: THERMODYNAMICS IN ACTION
    16:Thermodynamic potentials
    17:Rods, bubbles and magnets
    18:The third law
    VII: STATISTICAL MECHANICS
    19:Equipartition of energy
    20:The partition function
    21:Statistical mechanics of an ideal gas
    22:The chemical potential
    23:Photons
    24:Phonons
    VIII: BEYOND THE IDEAL GAS
    25:Relativistic gases
    26:Real gases
    27:Cooling real gases
    28:Phase transitions
    29:Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac distributions
    30:Quantum gases and condensates
    IX: SPECIAL TOPICS
    31:Sound waves
    32:Shock waves
    33:Brownian motion and fluctuations
    34:Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
    35:Stars
    36:Compact objects
    37:Earth's atmosphere

Reviews

"This is probably the best book I know of thermodynamics and statistical physics. The authors have done really a great job. [...] The contents of the book are organised in such way that it can be used for a standard undergraduate level course in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, where it is also possible to make the appropriate selection of the topics depending on the level and duration of the course. It could also be very useful as a source reference for lecturers in thermodynamics and statistical physics." - M.A.F. Sanjuan, Contemporary Physics

Additional Resources

A solutions manual is available for this title. Please click here to order your copy.

A solutions manual is available for this title. Please click here to order your copy.

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