A Student's Guide to Entropy

Author: Don S. Lemons
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107470048
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 195

Book Description
Striving to explore the subject in as simple a manner as possible, this book helps readers understand the elusive concept of entropy. Innovative aspects of the book include the construction of statistical entropy from desired properties, the derivation of the entropy of classical systems from purely classical assumptions, and a statistical thermodynamics approach to the ideal Fermi and ideal Bose gases. Derivations are worked through step-by-step and important applications are highlighted in over 20 worked examples. Around 50 end-of-chapter exercises test readers' understanding. The book also features a glossary giving definitions for all essential terms, a time line showing important developments, and list of books for further study. It is an ideal supplement to undergraduate courses in physics, engineering, chemistry and mathematics.

A Student's Guide to Waves

Author: Daniel Fleisch
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107054869
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 231

Book Description
Written to complement course textbooks, this book focuses on the topics that undergraduates in physics and engineering find most difficult.

A Student's Guide to Coding and Information Theory

Author: Stefan M. Moser
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107015839
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 207

Book Description
This is a concise, easy-to-read guide, introducing beginners to coding theory and information theory.

A Student's Guide to Dimensional Analysis

Author: Don S. Lemons
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107161150
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 115

Book Description
This introduction to dimensional analysis covers the methods, history and formalisation of the field. Utilising topics including mechanics, hydro- and electrodynamics, and thermal and quantum physics, it illustrates the possibilities and limitations of dimensional analysis, making it perfect for students on introductory courses in physics, engineering and mathematics.

Discover Entropy And The Second Law Of Thermodynamics: A Playful Way Of Discovering A Law Of Nature

Author: Arieh Ben-naim
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9814465267
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 287

Book Description
This is a sequel to the author's book entitled “Entropy Demystified” (Published by World Scientific, 2007). The aim is essentially the same as that of the previous book by the author: to present Entropy and the Second Law as simple, meaningful and comprehensible concepts. In addition, this book presents a series of “experiments” which are designed to help the reader discover entropy and the Second Law. While doing the experiments, the reader will encounter three most fundamental probability distributions featuring in Physics: the Uniform, the Boltzmann and the Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions. In addition, the concepts of entropy and the Second Law will emerge naturally from these experiments without a tinge of mystery. These concepts are explained with the help of a few familiar ideas of probability and information theory.The main “value” of the book is to introduce entropy and the Second Law in simple language which renders it accessible to any reader who can read and is curious about the basic laws of nature. The book is addressed to anyone interested in science and in understanding natural phenomenon. It will afford the reader the opportunity to discover one of the most fundamental laws of physics — a law that has resisted complete understanding for over a century. The book is also designed to be enjoyable.There is no other book of its kind (except “Entropy Demystified” by the same author) that offers the reader a unique opportunity to discover one of the most profound laws — sometimes viewed as a mysterious — while comfortably playing with familiar games. There are no pre-requisites expected from the readers; all that the reader is expected to do is to follow the experiments or imagine doing the experiments and reach the inevitable conclusions.

Entropy Demystified: The Second Law Reduced To Plain Common Sense

Author: Arieh Ben-naim
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9814476870
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 248

Book Description
In this unique book, Arieh Ben-Naim invites the reader to experience the joy of appreciating something which has eluded understanding for many years — entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics.The book has a two-pronged message: first, that the Second Law is not “infinitely incomprehensible” as commonly stated in textbooks of thermodynamics but can, in fact, be comprehended through sheer common sense; and second, that entropy is not a mysterious quantity that has “resisted understanding” but a simple, familiar and easily comprehensible concept.Written in an accessible style, the book guides the reader through an abundance of dice games and examples from everyday life. The author paves the way for readers to discover for themselves what entropy is, how it changes, and most importantly, why it always changes in one direction in a spontaneous process.

A Student's Guide to Infinite Series and Sequences

Author: Bernhard W. Bach, Jr.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107059828
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 201

Book Description
An informal and practically focused introduction for undergraduate students exploring infinite series and sequences in engineering and the physical sciences. With a focus on practical applications in real world situations, it helps students to conceptualize the theory with real-world examples and to build their skill set.

A Student's Guide to Numerical Methods

Author: Ian H. Hutchinson
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107095670
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 223

Book Description
The plain language style, worked examples and exercises in this book help students to understand the foundations of computational physics and engineering.

A Student's Guide to Data and Error Analysis

Author: Herman J. C. Berendsen
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139497855
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 239

Book Description
All students taking laboratory courses within the physical sciences and engineering will benefit from this book, whilst researchers will find it an invaluable reference. This concise, practical guide brings the reader up-to-speed on the proper handling and presentation of scientific data and its inaccuracies. It covers all the vital topics with practical guidelines, computer programs (in Python), and recipes for handling experimental errors and reporting experimental data. In addition to the essentials, it also provides further background material for advanced readers who want to understand how the methods work. Plenty of examples, exercises and solutions are provided to aid and test understanding, whilst useful data, tables and formulas are compiled in a handy section for easy reference.

Statistical Mechanics

Author: E.H. Lieb
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3662100185
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 491

Book Description
In Statistical Physics one of the ambitious goals is to derive rigorously, from statistical mechanics, the thermodynamic properties of models with realistic forces. Elliott Lieb is a mathematical physicist who meets the challenge of statistical mechanics head on, taking nothing for granted and not being content until the purported consequences have been shown, by rigorous analysis, to follow from the premises. The present volume contains a selection of his contributions to the field, in particular papers dealing with general properties of Coulomb systems, phase transitions in systems with a continuous symmetry, lattice crystals, and entropy inequalities. It also includes work on classical thermodynamics, a discipline that, despite many claims to the contrary, is logically independent of statistical mechanics and deserves a rigorous and unambiguous foundation of its own. The articles in this volume have been carefully annotated by the editors.