Introduction to Statistical Physics

Statistical physics is concerned with the behaviour of matter in bulk, from the boiling of water to the superconductivity of metals. Ultimately, it seeks to uncover the laws governing random processes, such as snow on a TV screen and Brownian motion. In practice, the methodology finds applications not only in the natural sciences and engineering, but also in the fields of social science and economics. “Introduction to Statistical Physics” guides the reader quickly and critically through a statistical view of the physical world. It shows how thermodynamics, as a phenomenological theory of matter, can be derived from the laws governing atoms with the help of the statistical approach.A wide range of physical applications, involving the Bose gas and the Fermi gas, illustrate the methodology. Advanced topics such as broken symmetry and the order parameter are demonstrated with examples from superconductivity and superfluidity such as the SQUID and the Bose-Einstein condensations of cold trapped atoms. The study of noise is introduced through Einstein’s theory of Brownian Motion and is followed by a more formal presentation of stochastic processes and time-series analyses. Applications described include shot noise, the Fokker-Planck and Langevin equations, and the Monte-Carlo method of computer simulation. Based on his teaching experience at MIT, Professor Huang has written a tightly organized undergraduate text complemented by a generous supply of exercises, ideal for those studying Physics, Engineering, Material Science and allied subjects.