Overview

This clear and pedagogical text delivers a concise overview of classical and quantum statistical physics. Essential Statistical Physics shows students how to relate the macroscopic properties of physical systems to their microscopic degrees of freedom, preparing them for graduate courses in areas such as biophysics, condensed matter physics, atomic physics and statistical mechanics. Topics covered include the microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles, Liouville's Theorem, Kinetic Theory, non-interacting Fermi and Bose systems and phase transitions, and the Ising model. Detailed steps are given in mathematical derivations, allowing students to quickly develop a deep understanding of statistical techniques. End-of-chapter problems reinforce key concepts and introduce more advanced applications, and appendices provide a detailed review of thermodynamics and related mathematical results. This succinct book offers a fresh and intuitive approach to one of the most challenging topics in the core physics curriculum and provides students with a solid foundation for tackling advanced topics in statistical mechanics.

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9781108480789

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Reviews

'At last a textbook that contains all the required elements for a modern advanced undergraduate course on statistical physics: foundations, quantum statistical mechanics, phase transitions and dynamics. I particularly like the derivation of ensembles through maximization of Gibbs entropy and the Langevin description of Brownian motion. Plenty of instructive problems within ten digestible chapters make this a text I can recommend to my students.' Martin Evans, University of Edinburgh 'Statistical mechanics is a vast and fascinating topic, sometimes intimidating beginning students. Kennett succeeds in delivering an agile, fresh and modern exposition of the essential ideas and methods, in addition to a well-thought selection of examples and applications borrowed from all branches of physics. Students and teachers alike will enjoy the carefully organized table of contents for self-study and lecture preparation.' Roberto Raimondi, Roma Tre University 'This book incorporates, into a single course, ideas and theoretical techniques in statistical physics and quantum mechanics that are connected by the physical phenomena they are meant to describe. Yet they are rarely all found in the same text. Professor Kennett offers students of theoretical physics a rare opportunity to acquire a mature understanding of their impact and meaning.' Herbert Fertig, Indiana University, Bloomington

Author Information

Malcolm P. Kennett is Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University, Canada. He studied at the University of Sydney and Princeton University and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cambridge. He has taught statistical mechanics at both undergraduate and graduate level for many years and has been recognized for the high quality of his teaching and innovative approaches to the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. His research is focused on condensed matter theory and he has made contributions to the theory of spin glasses, dilute magnetic semiconductors, out of equilibrium dynamics in ultracold atoms, and the Quantum Hall effect in graphene.

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