Book Description

All the tools necessary to understand the concepts underlying today′s statistical physics A Modern Course in Statistical Physics goes beyond traditional textbook topics and incorporates contemporary research into a basic course on statistical mechanics. From the universal nature of matter to the latest results in the spectral properties of decay processes, this book emphasizes the theoretical foundations derived from thermodynamics and probability theory that underlie all concepts in statistical physics. Each chapter focuses on a core topic and includes extensive illustrations, exercises, and experimental data as well as a section with more advanced topics and applications. This comprehensive treatment of traditional and modern topics: ∗ Covers equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics ∗ Presents the foundations of probability theory and stochastic processes ∗ Derives statistical mechanics from ergodic theory ∗ Examines the origin of thermodynamic and hydrodynamic behavior ∗ Emphasizes equilibrium and nonequilibrium phase transitions ∗ Presents theories of random walks and Brownian motion ∗ Discusses hydrodynamics and transport theory of chemical mixtures and discontinuous systems ∗ Presents transport theory on microscopic and macroscopic levels ∗ Includes thermodynamics of biophysical processes Comprehensive coverage of numerous core topics and special applications gives professors flexibility to individualize course design. And the inclusion of advanced topics and extensive references makes this an invaluable resource for researchers as well as students–a textbook that will be retained on the shelf long after the course is completed. An Instructor′s Manual presenting detailed solutions to all the problems in the book is available from the Wiley editorial department.