Thermal Physics

by C.B.P. Finn

Thermodynamics forms an essential part of any physical sciences degree yet it is so full of pitfalls and subtleties that many students fail to appreciate its elegance and power. In Thermal Physics the author lays great emphasis on understanding the fundamental ideas. He shows that the important thermodynamic results can be simply obtained from the fundamental relations without getting lost in a maze of partial differentials, just by reading the thermodynamic signposts. The text is amply illustrated and contains worked examples, including applications to physics, engineering, chemistry and biology. There are useful appendices and an extensive section of exercises (with answers) for the student. This book should be of interest to first year students of physics and applied physics at universities/polytechnics/colleges of FE; also of relevance to engineering and chemistry students.

Genres: Physics, Reference, Textbooks

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 1993

Reviews

[Mahaione · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only physics book I've ever stomached and enjoyed.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really, Pippard is way better.

[Big Endian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be taught thermodynamics by Colin Finn, a couple of years after this book was published. An easy to understand introduction to the subject, that doesn't get bogged down in the mathematics (that will come later, don't worry!).

[Hashlamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

she doesn't love me the way I love her

[Tue Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

We used this as our official textbook for thermal physics. I thought this book was good at explaining the physics and guiding the students in the jungle of partial derivatives that is thermodynamics. Contrary to what some might think, thermodynamics is a branch of physics in its own right and not merely a subsidiary of statistical mechanics.

[Tom Ritman-Meer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books this dull are hard to find.