Fundamentals of statistical and thermal physics

Frederick Reif0070518009, 9780070518001

This book is designed for the junior-senior thermodynamics course given in all departments as a standard part of the curriculum. The book is devoted to a discussion of some of the basic physical concepts and methods useful in the description of situations involving systems which consist of very many particulars. It attempts, in particular, to introduce the reader to the disciplines of thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and kinetic theory from a unified and modern point of view. The presentation emphasizes the essential unity of the subject matter and develops physical insight by stressing the microscopic content of the theory.