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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

A concise treatment of variational techniques, focussing on Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems, ideal for physics, engineering and mathematics students.

A concise overview of the fundamental concepts and applications of atomic physics for students including examples, problems, and diagrams of key concepts.

Engineering Thermodynamics is a core course for students majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Before taking this course, students usually have learned Engineering Mechanics—Statics and Dynamics, and they are used to solving problems with calculus and differential equations. Unfortunately, these approaches do not apply for Thermodynamics. Instead, they have to rely on many data tables and graphs to solve problems. In addition, many concepts are hard to understand, such as entropy. Therefore, most students feel very frustrated while taking this course. The key concept in Engineering Thermodynamics is state-properties: If one knows two properties, the state can be determined, as well as the other four properties. Unlike most textbooks, the first two chapters of this book introduce thermodynamic properties and laws with the ideal gas model, where equations can be engaged. In this way, students can employ their familiar approaches, and thus can understand them much better. In order to help students understand entropy in depth, interpretation with statistical physics is introduced. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss control-mass and control-volume processes with general fluids, where the data tables are used to solve problems. Chapter 5 covers a few advanced topics, which can also help students understand the concepts in thermodynamics from a broader perspective.