Theoretical Physics 5 Thermodynamics

Der Grundkurs Theoretische Physik deckt in 7 Bänden alle für das Diplom und für Bachelor/Master-Studiengänge maßgeblichen Gebiete ab. Jeder Band vermittelt das im jeweiligen Semester notwendige theoretisch-physikalische Rüstzeug. Übungsaufgaben mit ausführlichen Lösungen dienen der Vertiefung des Stoffs.

Der Grundkurs Theoretische Physik deckt in 7 Bänden alle für das Diplom und für Bachelor/Master-Studiengänge maßgeblichen Gebiete ab. Jeder Band vermittelt das im jeweiligen Semester notwendige theoretisch-physikalische Rüstzeug.

Understand the theoretical physics of statistical mechanics (classical and quantum level) and apply it to thermodynamics

This introductory text treats thermodynamics as an incomplete description of quantum systems with many degrees of freedom. Its main goal is to show that the approach to equilibrium—with equilibrium characterized by maximum ignorance about the open system of interest—neither requires that many particles nor is the precise way of partitioning, relevant for the salient features of equilibrium and equilibration. Furthermore, the text depicts that it is indeed quantum effects that are at work in bringing about thermodynamic behavior of modest-sized open systems, thus making Von Neumann’s concept of entropy appear much more widely useful than sometimes feared, far beyond truly macroscopic systems in equilibrium.

This textbook provides an exposition of equilibrium thermodynamics and its applications to several areas of physics with particular attention to phase transitions and critical phenomena. The applications include several areas of condensed matter physics and include also a chapter on thermochemistry. Phase transitions and critical phenomena are treated according to the modern development of the field, based on the ideas of universality and on the Widom scaling theory. For each topic, a mean-field or Landau theory is presented to describe qualitatively the phase transitions.