This volume of Statistical Physics consititutes the second part of Statistical Physics (Springer Series in Solid-State Science, Vols. 30, 31) and is devoted to nonequilibrium theories of statistical mechanics. We start with an intro duction to the stochastic treatment of Brownian motion and then proceed to general problems involved in deriving a physical process from an underlying more basic process. Relaxation from nonequilibrium to equilibrium states and the response of a system to an external disturbance form the central problems of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. These problems are treated both phenomenologically and microscopically along the lines of re cent developments. Emphasis is placed on fundamental concepts and methods rather than on applications which are too numerous to be treated exhaustively within the limited space of this volume. For information on the general aim of this book, the reader is referred to the Foreword. For further reading, the reader should consult the bibliographies, although these are not meant to be exhaustive.

This is the definitive treatise on the fundamentals of statistical mechanics. A concise exposition of classical statistical mechanics is followed by a thorough elucidation of quantum statistical mechanics: postulates, theorems, statistical ensembles, changes in quantum mechanical systems with time, and more. The final two chapters discuss applications of statistical mechanics to thermodynamic behavior. 1930 edition.

Statistical Mechanics discusses the fundamental concepts involved in understanding the physical properties of matter in bulk on the basis of the dynamical behavior of its microscopic constituents. The book emphasizes the equilibrium states of physical systems. The text first details the statistical basis of thermodynamics, and then proceeds to discussing the elements of ensemble theory. The next two chapters cover the canonical and grand canonical ensemble. Chapter 5 deals with the formulation of quantum statistics, while Chapter 6 talks about the theory of simple gases. Chapters 7 and 8 examine the ideal Bose and Fermi systems. In the next three chapters, the book covers the statistical mechanics of interacting systems, which includes the method of cluster expansions, pseudopotentials, and quantized fields. Chapter 12 discusses the theory of phase transitions, while Chapter 13 discusses fluctuations. The book will be of great use to researchers and practitioners from wide array of disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, and engineering.

Examines basic concepts and the First Law, Second Law, equilibria, Nernst's Heat Theorem, and the kinetic theory of gases. Includes an index and a wealth of figures. An important resource for students and physicists, it can be read independently by those who wish to focus on individual topics. 1973 edition.

A book about statistical mechanics for students.

This is the first of two volumes presenting the theory of operator algebras with applications to quantum statistical mechanics. The authors' approach to the operator theory is to a large extent governed by the dictates of the physical applications. The book is self-contained and most proofs are presented in detail, which makes it a useful text for students with a knowledge of basic functional analysis. The introductory chapter surveys the history and justification of algebraic techniques in statistical physics and outlines the applications that have been made. The second edition contains new and improved results. The principal changes include: A more comprehensive discussion of dissipative operators and analytic elements; the positive resolution of the question of whether maximal orthogonal probability measure on the state space of C-algebra were automatically maximal along all the probability measures on the space.

Statistical physics and thermodynamics describe the behaviour of systems on the macroscopic scale. Their methods are applicable to a wide range of phenomena, from neutron stars to heat engines, or from chemical reactions to phase transitions. The pertinent laws are among the most universal ones of all laws of physics.