Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics

F. Reif’s Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics is a classic undergraduate textbook that provides a unified, modern introduction to thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and kinetic theory. It’s known for its clear explanations and focus on building physical intuition.
The book is structured to first introduce the fundamental concepts of probability and statistical methods before applying them to physical systems. It emphasizes the connection between the microscopic behavior of atoms and the macroscopic laws of thermodynamics. Reif’s approach is to develop the essential ideas and then apply them to a range of topics, including:
• Statistical Mechanics: The principles of ensembles (microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical) and their application to systems in equilibrium.
• Thermodynamics: The macroscopic laws of thermodynamics, derived from a statistical-mechanical perspective.
• Quantum Statistics: An exploration of quantum gases, such as the Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac statistics, with applications like black-body radiation and the behavior of electrons in metals.
• Transport Theory: A discussion of non-equilibrium phenomena and transport processes.