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Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics

  • Textbook
  • © 2000

Overview

Authors:
  1. George D. J. Phillies

    1. Department of Physics and Associated Biochemistry Faculty, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

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Part of the book series: Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics (GTCP)

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Table of contents (37 chapters)

  1. Separable Quantum Systems

    1. Kirkwood-Wigner Theorem

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 208-214

    2. Chemical Equilibria

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 215-222

  2. Interacting Particles and Cluster Expansions

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 223-223
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    2. Interacting Particles

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 225-232

    3. Cluster Expansions

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 233-239

    4. Ξ via the Grand Canonical Ensemble

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 240-249

    5. Evaluating Cluster Integrals

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 250-263

    6. Distribution Functions

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 264-275

    7. More Distribution Functions

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 276-281

    8. Electrolyte Solutions, Plasmas, and Screening

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 282-288

  3. Correlation Functions and Dynamics

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 289-289
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    2. Correlation Functions

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 291-301

    3. Stability of the Canonical Ensemble

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 302-319

    4. The Central Limit Theorem

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 320-327

    5. The Langevin Equation

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 328-338

    6. The Langevin Model and Diffusion

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 339-346

    7. Projection Operators and the Mori-Zwanzig Formalism

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 347-364

    8. Linear Response Theory

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 365-371

  4. A Research Problem

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 373-373
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    2. Scattering of Light, Neutrons, X-Rays, and Other Radiation

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 375-387
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Keywords

About this book

This volume is based on courses on Statistical Mechanics which I have taught for many years at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. My objective is to treat classical statistical mechanics and its modem applications, especially interacting particles, correlation functions, and time-dependent phenomena. My development is based primarily on Gibbs's ensemble formulation. Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics is meant as a (relatively sophis­ ticated) undergraduate or (relatively straightforward) graduate text for physics students. It should also be suitable as a graduate text for physical chemistry stu­ dents. Physicists may find my treatment of algebraic manipulation to be more explicit than some other volumes. In my experience some of our colleagues are perhaps a bit over-enthusiastic about the ability or tendency of our students to complete gaps in the derivations. I emphasize a cyclic development of major themes. I could have begun with a fully detailed formal treatment of ensemble mechanics, as found in Gibbs's volume, and then given material realizations. I instead interleave formal discussions with simple concrete models. The models illustrate the formal definitions. The approach here gives students a chance to identify fundamental principles and methods before getting buried in ancillary details.

Reviews

FROM THE REVIEWS:

MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS
"Critical depth and vivid presentation of concepts are the best qualities of this textbook, which can be recommended for an introductory course in statistical mechanics…”

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Physics and Associated Biochemistry Faculty, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

    George D. J. Phillies

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