Thermal Physics

Written by distinguished physics educator David Goodstein, this fresh introduction to thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and the study of matter is ideal for undergraduate courses. The textbook looks at the behavior of thermodynamic variables and examines partial derivatives – the essential language of thermodynamics. It also explores states of matter and the phase transitions between them, the ideal gas equation, and the behavior of the atmosphere. The origin and meaning of the laws of thermodynamics are then discussed, together with Carnot engines and refrigerators, and the notion of reversibility. Later chapters cover the partition function, the density of states, and energy functions, as well as more advanced topics such as the interactions between particles and equations for the states of gases of varying densities. Favoring intuitive and qualitative descriptions over exhaustive mathematical derivations, the textbook uses numerous problems and worked examples to help readers get to grips with the subject.

Author Biography

David Goodstein is the Frank J. Gilloon Distinguished Teaching and Service Professor Emeritus at the California Institute of Technology. He has extensive research experience in condensed matter physics, and his book States of Matter (1975) was hailed as launching this important field. He directed and hosted the popular television series The Mechanical Universe, based on his lectures at Caltech.