Elements of statistical thermodynamics

L. K. Nash, Elements of Statistical Thermodynamics (Addison-Wesley, 1968). 

The key then is to somehow calculate the probability with which a specific quantum state contributes to the average values. As far as thermal systems in thermodynamic equilibrium are concerned, this is the central problem addressed by statistical thermodynamics. W( therefore begin our discuasion of some core elements of statistical thermodynamics at the quantum level but will eventually turn to the classic limit, because the phenomena addressed by this book occur under conditions where a classic description turns out to be adequate. We shall see this at the end of this chapter in Section 2.5 where we introduce a quantitative criterion for the adequacy of such a classic description. 

Books on the elements of statistical thermodynamics Hill (1960), McQuarrie (1976) and Ben-Naim (1992). 

Since the First Edition the most significant change to the book has been the addition of a new chapter which provides a simple treatment of the molecular basis of thermodynamics. Though this chapter has been placed at the end of the book it has been written in such a way that it could be employed with advantage at an earlier stage of a first course in chemical thermodynamics. Indeed, a prompt introduction to the elements of statistical thermodynamics can be very helpful in reinforcing the fundamental concepts of classical thermodynamics. 

It is important that students be aware of how thermochemical properties arise frur the energetics of vibrational frequencies. This connection is based upon partitioning the total energy of a macroscopic system among the consiiiucr.i molecules. Nash s Elements of Statistical Thermodynamics provides an excellent discussion of the mathematical details of this transformation. 

Nash s Elements of Classical Thermodynamics was first published in 1962 and his Elements of Statistical Thermodynamics appeared in 1968. His new book contains revised versions of these earlier books in the same volume, but as separate texts. Chemical equilibria are treated in detail but physical equilibria are not strongly treated. The book is intended for the American first-year student. 

Chapter 1 presents a brief introduction to statistical thermodynamics. Here the basic rules of the game are summarized and some simple results pertaining to ideal gases are presented. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the basic elements of statistical thermodynamics and classical thermodynamics. 

We end by briefly displaying a rather different means of specifying the thermodynamic functions of state, based on elements of statistical thermodynamics that are briefly reviewed in Chapter 10 for those who need a refresher on this subject. It will be recalled that the basic building block is the molecular partition function q = > where , is the ith energy level and g, is the associated de-... 

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