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Rigorous and comprehensive, this textbook introduces undergraduate students to simulation methods in statistical physics. The book covers a number of topics, including the thermodynamics of magnetic and electric systems; the quantum mechanical basis of magnetism; ferrimagnetism, antiferromagnetism, spin waves and magnons; liquid crystals as a non-ideal system of technological relevance; and diffusion in an external potential. It also covers hot topics such as cosmic microwave background, magnetic cooling and Bose–Einstein condensation. The book provides an elementary introduction to simulation methods through algorithms in pseudocode for random walks, the 2d Ising model and a model liquid crystal. Any formalism is kept simple and derivations are worked out in detail to ensure the material is accessible to students from subjects other than physics.
Random walks
Review of thermodynamics
The postulates of statistical physics. Thermodynamic equilibrium
Statistical thermodynamics: developments and applications
The classical ideal gas
The quantum ideal gas
Magnetism
TheIsingmodel
Liquidcrystals
Phase transitions and critical phenomena
Irreversible processes
Appendix A Values of some fundamental physical constants
Appendix B Some useful unit conversions