Overview

Statistical Mechanics explores the physical properties of matter based on the dynamic behavior of its microscopic constituents. After a historical introduction, this book presents chapters about thermodynamics, ensemble theory, simple gases theory, Ideal Bose and Fermi systems, statistical mechanics of interacting systems, phase transitions, and computer simulations. This edition includes new topics such as BoseEinstein condensation and degenerate Fermi gas behavior in ultracold atomic gases and chemical equilibrium. It also explains the correlation functions and scattering; fluctuationdissipation theorem and the dynamical structure factor; phase equilibrium and the Clausius-Clapeyron equation; and exact solutions of one-dimensional fluid models and two-dimensional Ising model on a finite lattice. New topics can be found in the appendices, including finite-size scaling behavior of Bose-Einstein condensates, a summary of thermodynamic assemblies and associated statistical ensembles, and pseudorandom number generators. Other chapters are dedicated to two new topics, the thermodynamics of the early universe and the Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. This book is invaluable to students and practitioners interested in statistical mechanics and physics.

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9780123821881

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Reviews

An excellent graduate-level text. The selection of topics is very complete and gives to the student a wide view of the applications of statistical mechanics. The set problems reinforce the theory exposed in the text, helping the student to master the material Francisco Cevantes University of Texas at El Paso USA

Author Information

Paul D. Beale is a Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. He earned a B.S. in Physics with Highest Honors at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1977, and Ph.D. in Physics from Cornell University in 1982. He served as a postdoctoral research associate at the Department of Theoretical Physics at Oxford University from 1982-1984. He joined the faculty of the University of Colorado Boulder in 1984 as an assistant professor, was promoted to associate professor in 1991, and professor in 1997. He served as the Chair of the Department of Physics from 2008-2016. He also served as Associate Dean for Natural Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Director of the Honors Program. He is currently Director of the Buffalo Bicycle Classic, the largest scholarship fundraising event in the State of Colorado. Beale is a theoretical physicist specializing in statistical mechanics, with emphasis on phase transitions and critical phenomena. His work includes renormalization group methods, finite-size scaling in spin models, fracture modes in random materials, dielectric breakdown in metal-loaded dielectrics, ferroelectric switching dynamics, exact solutions of the finite two-dimensional Ising model, solid-liquid phase transitions of molecular systems, and ordering in layers of molecular dipoles. His current interests include scalable parallel pseudorandom number generators, and interfacing quantum randomness with cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generators. He is coauthor with Raj Pathria of the third and fourth editions of the graduate physics textbook Statistical Mechanics. The Boulder Faculty Assembly has honored him with the Excellence in Teaching and Pedagogy Award, and the Excellence in Service and Leadership Award. Beale is a private pilot and an avid cyclist. He is married to Erika Gulyas, and has two children: Matthew and Melanie.

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