An Introductory Course on Statistical Mechanics introduces the subject to readers without any prior knowledge of the subject. In most textbooks, Statistical Mechanics appears to be a branch of Condensed Matter Physics. This book has a different perspective. It gives great importance to relativistic systems, thus paving the way to various applications of Statistical Mechanics to Astrophysics and Cosmology. Non-relativistic systems and their applications to Condensed Matter Physics are not abandoned either: there are discussions on gases, liquids and magnetic systems. The book ends with one chapter on Phase Transitions and one on Boltzmann equation. Overall, the book presents Statistical Mechanics from a broader perspective encompassing many branches of Physics.

Preface / List of Figures / A Review of Thermodynamics / Microstates and Macrostates / Micro-canonical Ensemble / Canonical Ensemble / Grand Canonical Ensemble / Equivalence of Different Ensembles / Non-interacting Bose Gas / Non-interacting Fermi Gas / Heat Capacities / Stellar Matter / Approximation Methods / Fluids / Ising and Related Models / Inhomogeneous Systems / Phase Transitions / Boltzmann Equation / A: Physical Constants / B: Useful Mathematical Results / C: Books of Related Interest / D: Answers to Selected Exercises / Index.

Undergraduate & Postgraduate Students in Physics