Introduction to statistical physics

Kerson Huang0748409416, 9780748409419, 0748409424

Fills the need for an intermediate undergraduate textbook on statistical physics. The subject is introduced from a phenomenalogical stance and presented in terms of thermodynamics, stressing the power and practicality of this approach. The atomic view is then discussed and formal statistical mechanics is brought in. Finally, the reader is brought back to phenomenoloy, in the treatment of noise and random processes. Examples are drawn from topics of strong current interest, such as quantum optics, superconductivity and Bose-Einstein condensation. The book contains a large number of examples and a solutions manual and teachers guide will accompany the text.