Description
This book provides an accessible introduction to thermal physics with computational approaches that complement the traditional mathematical treatments of classical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. It guides readers through visualizations and simulations in the Python programming language, helping them to develop their own technical computing skills (including numerical and symbolic calculations, optimizations, recursive operations, and visualizations). Python is a highly readable and practical programming language, making this book appropriate for students without extensive programming experience.
This book may serve as a thermal physics textbook for a semester-long undergraduate thermal physics course or may be used as a tutorial on scientific computing with focused examples from thermal physics. This book will also appeal to engineering students studying intermediate-level thermodynamics as well as computer science students looking to understand how to apply their computer programming skills to science.
Key features
- Major concepts in thermal physics are introduced cohesively through computational and mathematical treatments.
- Computational examples in Python programming language guide students on how to simulate and visualize thermodynamic principles and processes for themselves.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Calculating π. Chapter 2. Kinetic Theory of Gas. Chapter 3. Velocity Distribution. Chapter 4. Thermal Processes. Chapter 5. Premise of Statistical Mechanics. Chapter 6. Revisiting Ideal Gas. Chapter 7. Revisiting Thermal Processes. Chapter 8. Entropy, Temperature, Energy, and Other Potentials. Chapter 9. Two-State System. Chapter 10. Specific Heat. Chapter 11. Random and Guided Walks. Appendix. Epilogue.
