Mud, Blood, and Magic

An understanding of thermal physics is crucial to much of modern physics, chemistry and engineering. This book provides a modern introduction to the main principles that are foundational to thermal physics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The key concepts are carefully presented in a clear way, and new ideas are illustrated with copious worked examples as well as a description of the historical background to their discovery. Applications are presented to subjects as diverse as stellar astrophysics, information and communication theory, condensed matter physics and climate change. Each chapter concludes with detailed exercises. The second edition of this popular textbook maintains the structure and lively style of the first edition but extends its coverage of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to include several new topics, including osmosis, diffusion problems, Bayes theorem, radiative transfer, the Ising model and Monte Carlo methods. New examples and exercises have been added throughout. This Text Provides A Modern Introduction To The Main Principles Of Thermal Physics, Thermodynamics And Statistical Mechanics. The Key Concepts Are Presented And New Ideas Are Illustrated With Worked Examples As Well As Description Of The Historical Background To Their Discovery. Introduction -- Heat -- Probability -- Temperature And The Boltzmann Factor -- The Maxwell-boltzmann Distribution -- Pressure -- Molecular Effusion -- The Mean Free Path And Collisions -- Transport Properties In Gases -- The Thermal Diffusion Equation -- Energy -- Isothermal And Adiabatic Processes -- Heat Engines And The Second Law -- Entropy -- Information Theory -- Thermodynamic Potentials -- Rods, Bubbles, And Magnets -- Third Law -- Equipartition Of Energy -- The Partition Function -- Statistical Mechanics Of An Ideal Gas -- The Chemical Potential -- Photons -- Phonons -- Relativistic Gases -- Real Gases -- Cooling Real Gases -- Phase Transitions -- Bose-einstein And Fermi-dirac Distributions -- Quantum Gases And Condensates -- Sound Waves -- Shock Waves -- Brownian Motion And Fluctuations -- Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics -- Stars -- Compact Objects -- Earth's Atmosphere -- A. Fundamental Constants -- B. Useful Formulae -- C. Useful Mathematics -- D. The Electromagnetic Spectrum -- E. Some Thermodynamical Definitions -- F. Thermodynamic Expansion Formulae -- G. Reduced Mass -- H. Glossary Of Main Symbols. Stephen J. Blundell And Katherine M. Blundell. Previous Ed.: 2006. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [485]-487) And Index.

an Understanding Of Thermal Physics Is Crucial To Much Of Modern Physics, Chemistry And Engineering. This Book Provides A Modern Introduction To The Main Principles That Are Foundational To Thermal Physics, Thermodynamics And Statistical Mechanics. The Key Concepts Are Carefully Presented In A Clear Way, And New Ideas Are Illustrated With Copious Worked Examples As Well As A Description Of The Historical Background To Their Discovery. Applications Are Presented To Subjects As Diverse As Stellar Astrophysics, Information And Communication Theory, Condensed Matter Physics And Climate Change. Each Chapter Concludes With Detailed Exercises.

the Second Edition Of This Popular Textbook Maintains The Structure And Lively Style Of The First Edition But Extends Its Coverage Of Thermodynamics And Statistical Mechanics To Include Several New Topics, Including Osmosis, Diffusion Problems, Bayes Theorem, Radiative Transfer, The Ising Model And Monte Carlo Methods. New Examples And Exercises Have Been Added Throughout.

This modern introduction to thermal physics contains a step-by-step presentation of the key concepts. The text is copiously illustrated and each chapter contains several worked examples.