The Physical Basis of Thermodynamics

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxix

   PDF

2. Entropy and Principles

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 1-24

3. Energies and Evolution Criteria

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 25-44

4. Auxiliary Relations

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 45-56

5. Observable Properties

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 57-86

6. Equations of State

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 87-122

7. Configurational Changes

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 123-158

8. Criteria for Chemical Equilibrium

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 159-172

9. Equilibrium and Chemical Potentials

   • Pascal Richet

   Pages 173-196

10. Phase Rule and Simple Univariant Equilibria

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 197-214

11. Binary Phase Diagrams

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 215-244

12. Solutions and Solution Models

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 245-283

13. Equilibria in Electrolyte Solutions

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 285-311

14. Basics of Statistical Mechanics

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 313-350

15. Theoretical Calculations of Thermodynamic Properties

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 351-386

16. Isotopic Equilibria

    • Pascal Richet

    Pages 387-402

17. Back Matter

    Pages 403-442

    PDF

Given that thermodynamics books are not a rarity on the market, why would an additional one be useful? The answer is simple: at any level, thermodynamics is usually taught as a somewhat abstruse discipline where many students get lost in a maze of difficult concepts. However, thermodynamics is not as intricate a subject as most people feel. This book fills a niche between elementary textbooks and mathematically oriented treatises, and provides readers with a distinct approach to the subject. As indicated by the title, this book explains thermodynamic phenomena and concepts in physical terms before proceeding to focus on the requisite mathematical aspects. It focuses on the effects of pressure, temperature and chemical composition on thermodynamic properties and places emphasis on rapidly evolving fields such as amorphous materials, metastable phases, numerical simulations of microsystems and high-pressure thermodynamics. Topics like redox reactions are dealt with in less depth, due to the fact that there is already much literature available. Without requiring a background in quantum mechanics, this book also illustrates the main practical applications of statistical thermodynamics and gives a microscopic interpretation of temperature, pressure and entropy.
This book is perfect for undergraduate and graduate students who already have a basic knowledge of thermodynamics and who wish to truly understand the subject and put it in a broader physical perspective. The book is aimed not at theoretical physicists, but rather at practitioners with a variety of backgrounds from physics to biochemistry for whom thermodynamics is a tool which would be better used if better understood.

• Ion
• electrolyte
• entropy
• isotope
• phase diagram
• thermodynamics

`From the first paragraph of the first chapter, this text informs the reader that he/she was lucky enough to find an excellent book to finally understand chemical thermodynamics. The level of writing is suitable for any audience whether undergraduate, graduate, or industry professional. The reader is not bombarded with overly mathematical and boring theoretical diatribe. Rather, it is as if five scientific copyeditors collaborated and approved each word as `the right way to explain things.' And, that is how the text comes across to the reader.'
Dawn Lee Wakefield, Texas A&M

• Institut de Physique du Globe, Paris, France

  Pascal Richet

Policies and ethics