Thermodynamics and Introductory Statistical Mechanics
Chapter One
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Thermodynamics, as developed in this course, deals with the macroscopic
properties of matter or, more precisely, with processes on a macroscopic
level. Mechanics (especially quantum mechanics) is concerned with molecular
behavior. In principle, and in some limited cases, the molecular properties
can be calculated directly from quantum mechanics. In the majority of
cases, however, such properties are obtained from experimental studies such
as spectral behavior or other devices, but the interpretation is based on quantum
mechanics. Statistical mechanics is the branch of science that interconnects
these seemingly unrelated disciplines: statistical mechanics interprets
and, as far as possible, predicts the macroscopic properties in terms of the
microscopic constituents.
For the purposes of the course presented in this book, thermod ... read full excerpt from Thermodynamics and Introductory Statistical Mechanics ebook
