A Student's Guide to Entropy


Book Description

Striving to explore the subject in as simple a manner as possible, this book helps readers understand the elusive concept of entropy. Innovative aspects of the book include the construction of statistical entropy from desired properties, the derivation of the entropy of classical systems from purely classical assumptions, and a statistical thermodynamics approach to the ideal Fermi and ideal Bose gases. Derivations are worked through step-by-step and important applications are highlighted in over 20 worked examples. Around 50 end-of-chapter exercises test readers' understanding. The book also features a glossary giving definitions for all essential terms, a time line showing important developments, and list of books for further study. It is an ideal supplement to undergraduate courses in physics, engineering, chemistry and mathematics.




A Student's Guide to Coding and Information Theory


Book Description

This is a concise, easy-to-read guide, introducing beginners to coding theory and information theory.




A Student's Guide to Dimensional Analysis


Book Description

This introduction to dimensional analysis covers the methods, history and formalisation of the field. Utilising topics including mechanics, hydro- and electrodynamics, and thermal and quantum physics, it illustrates the possibilities and limitations of dimensional analysis, making it perfect for students on introductory courses in physics, engineering and mathematics.




A Student's Guide to Waves


Book Description

Written to complement course textbooks, this book focuses on the topics that undergraduates in physics and engineering find most difficult.




Entropy Demystified: The Second Law Reduced To Plain Common Sense


Book Description

In this unique book, Arieh Ben-Naim invites the reader to experience the joy of appreciating something which has eluded understanding for many years — entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics.The book has a two-pronged message: first, that the Second Law is not “infinitely incomprehensible” as commonly stated in textbooks of thermodynamics but can, in fact, be comprehended through sheer common sense; and second, that entropy is not a mysterious quantity that has “resisted understanding” but a simple, familiar and easily comprehensible concept.Written in an accessible style, the book guides the reader through an abundance of dice games and examples from everyday life. The author paves the way for readers to discover for themselves what entropy is, how it changes, and most importantly, why it always changes in one direction in a spontaneous process.




A Student's Guide to Lagrangians and Hamiltonians


Book Description

A concise treatment of variational techniques, focussing on Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems, ideal for physics, engineering and mathematics students.




A Student's Guide to Infinite Series and Sequences


Book Description

An informal and practically focused introduction for undergraduate students exploring infinite series and sequences in engineering and the physical sciences. With a focus on practical applications in real world situations, it helps students to conceptualize the theory with real-world examples and to build their skill set.




A Student's Guide to Data and Error Analysis


Book Description

All students taking laboratory courses within the physical sciences and engineering will benefit from this book, whilst researchers will find it an invaluable reference. This concise, practical guide brings the reader up-to-speed on the proper handling and presentation of scientific data and its inaccuracies. It covers all the vital topics with practical guidelines, computer programs (in Python), and recipes for handling experimental errors and reporting experimental data. In addition to the essentials, it also provides further background material for advanced readers who want to understand how the methods work. Plenty of examples, exercises and solutions are provided to aid and test understanding, whilst useful data, tables and formulas are compiled in a handy section for easy reference.




A Student's Guide to General Relativity


Book Description

Vectors, tensors and functions -- Manifolds, vectors and differentiation -- Energy, momentum and Einstein's equations




A Student's Guide to Atomic Physics


Book Description

A concise overview of the fundamental concepts and applications of atomic physics for students including examples, problems, and diagrams of key concepts.