Introductory statistical mechanics

This book aims to explain the ideas and techniques of statistical mechanics - the theory of condensed matter - in a simple and progressive way. The text starts with the laws of thermodynamics and simple ideas of quantum mechanics. The conceptual ideas underlying the subject are explained carefully; the mathematical ideas are developed in parallel to give a coherent overall view. The text is illustrated with examples not just from solid state physics, but also from recent theories of radiation from black holes and recent data on the background radiation from the Cosmic background explorer. The book applies these ideas to successively more complicated systems. At the end of each chapter are exercises, graded so that the easier appear first. They are intended to develop understanding and confidence in tackling problems from all branches of physics.