Statistical Physics: From Microstates to Ensembles
Statistical physics bridges the microscopic world of atoms to the macroscopic world of thermodynamics. This book develops the theory systematically from microstates and ensembles through partition functions and phase transitions. It's a structured introduction for physics students who want to understand how microscopic behavior produces observable physical properties.
Statistical physics bridges the microscopic world of atoms to the macroscopic world of thermodynamics. This book develops the theory systematically from phase space to quantum statistics.
Boltzmann entropy gets a proper derivation. The formula S = k ln W is motivated, its properties are proved, and the connection to thermodynamic entropy is established.
All three ensembles are developed: microcanonical, canonical (with partition functions), and grand canonical (with Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein statistics).
Key Topics
- Phase space, microstates, macrostates
- Boltzmann entropy formula and the H-theorem
- Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles
- Partition functions with worked examples
- Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein quantum statistics
- Applications: ideal gas, harmonic oscillator, paramagnetism