From microphysics to macrophysics. Methods and applications of statistical physics. Vol. I. Translated from the French by D. ter Haar and J. F. Gregg. (Q859723)

The book provides the second paperback printing of the 1991 translation of a French volume arisen from lectures held by the author at the Ecole Polytechnique between 1973 and 1982, reflecting needs and standards of this cultural institution, so important in France, as thoroughly discussed in the preface. This fact has implied in particular a style aiming at a general understanding, rather than at technical discussion, since the meant audience should be quite broad and with different cultural interests. The topic of the book itself, statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, well fits this scope, because of its interest in so many different fields and applications. On the same footing great attention is devoted, in separate paragraphs, to the historical and conceptual developments. After a first chapter dealing directly with a specific statistical physics problem to concretely face the topic, the book develops in four chapters the basics of statistical mechanics and its connection to thermodynamics, devoting the remaining chapters, as well as a following volume, to specific applications resting on the presented theory. Applications in the present volume include: The perfect gas; Molecular properties of gases; Condensation of gases and phase transitions. The topics dealt with in the second volume refer to quantum effects or more advanced non-equilibrium phenomena. The presentation, despite being mathematically precise, is far from technical, well written and motivated, never too concise and easy to follow. The physical background is never far behind, as well as connection to relevant examples and possibly experimental confirmations. Major emphasis is given to basic concepts like conservation laws, maximum entropy principle and entropy. In particular the author chooses a logical rather than historical path, starting from the quantum mechanical treatment and recovering the classical case as a limiting situation. He also includes a short introduction to the relevant elements of quantum theory, especially the density matrix or statistical operator, the essential tool in the description of quantum statistical experiments. Each chapter ends with various interesting problems, with hints or a complete resolution, of great help in the understanding of the chapter.