Leading physical chemist David Chandler takes a new approach to statistical mechanics to provide the only introductory-level work on the modern topics of renormalization group theory, Monte Carlo simulations, time correlation functions, and liquid structure. The author provides compact summaries of the fundamentals of this branch of physics and discussions of many of its traditional elementary applications, interspersed with over 150 exercises and microcomputer programs.

Chapter 1: Thermodynamics, Fundamentals

First Law of Thermodynamics

Second Law

Variational Statement of Second Law

Application: Thermal Equilibrium and Temperature

Auxiliary Functions and Legendre Transforms

Maxwell Relations

Extensive Functions and the Gibbs-Duhem Equation

Intensive Functions

Chapter 2: Conditions for Equilibrium and Stability

Multiphase Equilibrium

Stability

Application to Phase Equilibria

Plane Interfaces

Chapter 3: Statistical Mechanics

The Statistical Method and Ensembles

Microcanonical Ensemble and the Rational Foundation of Thermodynamics

Canonical Ensemble

A Simple Example

Generalized Ensembles and the Gibbs Entropy Formula

Fluctuations Involving Uncorrelated Particles

Alternative Development of Equilibrium Distribution Functions

Chapter 4: Non-Interacting (Ideal) Systems

Occupation Numbers

Photon Gas

Phonon Gas

Ideal Gases of Real Particles

Electrons in Metals

Classical Ideal Gases, the Classical Limit

Thermodynamics of an Ideal Gas of Structureless Classical Particles

A Dilute Gas of Atoms

A Dilute Gas of Diatomic Molecules

Chemical Equilibria in Gases

Chapter 5: Statistical Mechanical Theory of Phase Transitions

Ising Model

Lattice Gas

Broken Symmetry and Range of Correlations

Mean Field Theory

Variational Treatment of Mean Field Theory

Renormalization Group (RG) Theory

RG Theory for the Two Dimensional Ising Model

Isomorphism Between Two-Level Quantum Mechanical System and the Ising Model

Chapter 6: Monte Carlo Method in Statistical Mechanics

Trajectories

A Monte Carlo Trajectory

Non-Boltzmann Sampling

Quantum Monte Carlo

Chapter 7: Classical Fluids

Averages in Phase Space

Reduced Configurational Distribution Functions

Reversible Work Theorem

Thermodynamic Properties from g(r)

Measurement of g(r) by Diffraction

Solvation and Chemical Equilibrium in Liquids

Molecular Liquids

Monte Carlo for Hard Disks

Chapter 8: Statistical Mechanics of Non-Equilibrium Systems

Systems Close to Equilibrium

Onsager's Regression Hypothesis and Time Correlation Functions

Application: Chemical Kinetics

Another Application: Self Diffusion

Fluctuation Dissipation Theorem

Response Functions

Absorption

Friction and the Langevin Equation