Statistical Mechanics: An Introduction

Statistical Mechanics: An Introduction has been written keeping in mind the student who encounters statistical mechanics for the first time. The order of presentation has been so chosen as to help the beginner penetrate the essence of a subject, which though sophisticated and unlimited in range, has its basis on principles and arguments of breathtaking simplicity. Starting with a statistical view of the physical world, the basic concepts of macrostates and microstates of a system are discussed with much care using many examples to illustrate abstract ideas. Statistical mechanics is first formulated in the micro canonical ensemble, and based on it, simple arguments are used to construct the canonical and grand canonical ensembles. The logical sequence of dealing first with the statistics of quantum systems (Bose and Fermi gases), and treating classical statistics as a limiting case of quantum statistics has been followed. Beyond the fundamentals, a wide variety of applications and advanced topics (Bose-Einstein condensation, transition in 4He, electrons in metals, white dwarfs, phase transitions etc.) gradually take the student to more advanced levels required in a graduate course.