A Student's Guide to Entropy

Abstract

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 classi-cal 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 dei nitions for all essential terms, a time line showing important developments, and a list of books for further study. It is an ideal sup-plement to undergraduate courses in physics, engineering, chemistry, and mathematics.