Statistical Thermodynamics (Dover Books on Physics) [Paperback]

Erwin Schrodinger (Author), Physics (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dover Books on Physics | Publication Date: September 1, 1989

Nobel Laureate's brilliant attempt to develop a simple, unified standard method of dealing with all cases of statistical thermodynamics — classical, quantum, Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac, and more.The work also includes discussions of Nernst theorem, Planck's oscillator, fluctuations, the n-particle problem, problem of radiation, much more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 95 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (September 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486661016
• ISBN-13: 978-0486661018
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #448,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Physics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide in statistical thermodynamics, July 7, 2000

By 

Boer Attila Laszlo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Statistical Thermodynamics (Dover Books on Physics) (Paperback)

This book is an excellent guide in statistical thermodynamics. It's started with the theoretical justification of phenomenological thermodynamics and its system of concepts. In principle the methods of statistical mechanics are applicable to non-equilibrium states as well as to equilibrium properties. The author (Nobel prize,1933) treats only the theory of equilibrium properties for which the destination "Statistical Thermodynamics" has been adopted. As a consequence of the structure of phenomenological thermodynamic, statistical thermodynamics developed in this book separates into two principal parts: the derivation of thermodynamic principles and the calculation of thermodynamic functions for concrete systems. This text seems especially good for teaching basic thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. I recommend this book especially for students, because it's highest quality is the clarity of the exposed physical ideas.

5.0 out of 5 stars Statistical Ensembles, January 22, 2012

By 

Professor Joseph L. McCauley "Joseph L. McCauley" (Austria+Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Statistical Thermodynamics (Dover Books on Physics) (Paperback)

This little book was recommended to me by a mentor, Wendell C. DeMarcus, in 1967 for its development of statistical ensembles. Schrödinger introduced the notion of a theoretical statistical ensemble as N-1 mental copies of the system interacting weakly with themselves. The reader will do well to buy this cheap Dover version (mine was published by Cambridge) and study it. It was written in Dublin in the same era that E.S. gave his now-famous genetics lectures and speculated that a 'genetic script'
(genetische Schrift) is written in linear fashion on the chromosomes. I was a student of Lars Onsager but I never asked Lars what he thought of Schrödinger's little book. DeMarcus was a collaborator of Onsager.

5.0 out of 5 stars Own 2 copies, November 16, 2011

By 

Betty C. Rostro "Betty Catalina Rostro" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Statistical Thermodynamics (Dover Books on Physics) (Paperback)

I have an ancient copy and also a newer version, the first was handed over to me by one of Polykarp Kusch's associates prior to his retirement from UTD. I have since read this book, as it was recommended reading for my thermodynamics class as well. I find it to be highly useful for the Fermi Dirac versus Bose-Einstein, Stirling's theorem and Nernst theorems. Also a mighty useful introduction to EM. Also I used it during my Masters for some of my thermo and solid state classes too. I'm glad I didn't have to take a 6th solid state class during my PhD, since by the time I finished mastering Solid State Physics in grad school, I was able to undergo examination by a graduate professor over the Mermin classic and was able to derive the equations because of reading little books like this one. Which was a good thing, cause I had a mini physics qualifier over lunch, and was asked to derive the Fermi Dirac and Bose Einstein equations and had to give a good explanation for them. I was then tested over all of both Kittel and Ashcroft & Mermin, and spent a good hour discussing both, 30 minutes of Kittel, and 30 minutes of Mermin, chapter by chapter. Other graduate students cringed when they heard that, as did some of the fellow professors. I'm glad I had an outstanding undergraduate education, where this kind of thing was to be expected.