Modern Thermodynamics with Statistical Mechanics

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIII

   PDF

2. Beginnings

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 1-12

3. Formulation

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 13-39

4. Mathematical Background

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 41-54

5. Thermodynamic Potentials

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 55-83

6. Structure of the Potentials

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 85-96

7. Laboratory Measurements

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 97-111

8. The Third Law

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 113-119

9. Models of Matter

   • Carl S. Helrich

   Pages 121-149

10. Statistical Mechanics

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 151-201

11. Quantum Statistical Mechanics

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 203-229

12. Irreversibility

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 231-257

13. Stability

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 259-270

14. Equilibrium of Chemical Reactions

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 271-297

15. Chemical Kinetics

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 299-326

16. Solutions

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 327-339

17. Heterogeneous Equilibrium

    • Carl S. Helrich

    Pages 341-360

18. Back Matter

    Pages 361-402

    PDF

Thermodynamics is not the oldest of sciences. Mechanics can make that claim. Thermodynamicsisaproductofsomeofthegreatestscienti?cmindsofthe19thand 20th centuries. But it is suf?ciently established that most authors of new textbooks in thermodynamics ?nd it necessary to justify their writing of yet another textbook. I ?nd this an unnecessary exercise because of the centrality of thermodynamics as a science in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. I do acknowledge, however, that instruction in thermodynamics often leaves the student in a confused state. My attempt in this book is to present thermodynamics in as simple and as uni?ed a form as possible. As teachers we identify the failures of our own teachers and attempt to correct them. Although I personally acknowledge with a deep gratitude the appreciation for thermodynamics that I found as an undergraduate, I also realize that my teachers did not convey to me the sweeping grandeur of thermodynamics. Speci?cally the s- plicity and the power that James Clerk Maxwell found in the methods of Gibbs were not part of my undergraduate experience. Unfortunately some modern authors also seem to miss this central theme, choosing instead to introduce the thermodynamic potentials as only useful functions at various points in the development.

• Book Thermodynamics
• Bose Einstein
• Chemical Kinetics
• Equilibrium Dynamics
• Law Thermodynamics
• Potential
• Statistical Thermodynamics
• Textbook Thermodynamics
• Thermodynamic Potential
• Thermodynamics Laboratory
• mechanics
• thermodynamics

From the reviews:

"Helrich (physics, Goshen College) is to be commended for managing to cover in this modest volume a wide spectrum of topics … . his book can be viewed as a self-teaching guide to thermodynamics. The well-thought-out problems at the end of each chapter require in-depth thinking that strengthens students’ learning. This book is ideal for physicists and engineering students … . It also is suitable for graduate students pursuing research in thermodynamics … . Summing Up: Highly recommended. Libraries serving upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners." (R. N. Laoulache, Choice, Vol. 46 (11), July, 2009)

"Thermodynamics plays a central role in physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. … The author of the present work had the aim to present modern thermodynamics in an as simple and as unified as possible form. He elected to present statistical mechanics as an integral part of the text. … Every chapter ends with exercises … . some of the exercises are intended as vehicles for investigations. … The work is intended to be used as an introduction to modern thermodynamics and statistical mechanics." (Claudia-Veronika Meister, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1159, 2009)

“Carl Helrich has written a lucid account of the field. His explanations are extremely clear and the book is particularly well structured, beginning as it does with the basic principles and developing from there to a consideration of thermodynamic potentials in terms of surfaces. … The explanations are clear and the mathematics is well presented. … an excellent work on which to base a university thermodynamics course. … the level is appropriate for a moderately mathematically-able undergraduate … .” (Stephen H. Ashworth, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 52 (1), 2011)

• Goshen College, USA

  Carl S. Helrich

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