Statistical Thermodynamics and Rate Theories

A textbook on statistical thermodynamics at the senior undergraduate level. The course covers the statistical thermodynamics of ideal gases from quantized energy levels. Applications on gas reaction kinetics and kinetic theory of gases using this formalism are included.

Table of Contents

1. Molecular Energy Levels
   1. Degrees of freedom
   2. Translational energy
   3. Rotational energy
   4. Vibrational energy
   5. Electronic energy
   6. Raman spectroscopy
2. Principles of Statistical Thermodynamics
   1. Postulates of Statistical Thermodynamics
   2. Microcanonical ensemble
   3. Boltzmann Distribution
3. Statistical Thermodynamics of an Ideal Gas
   1. Molecular partition functions
      1. /Molecular partition functions#Translational Partition Function
      2. /Molecular partition functions#Rotational Partition Function
      3. /Molecular partition functions#Vibrational Partition Function
      4. /Molecular partition functions#Electronic Partition Function
   2. Sample problems
   3. Derivation of thermodynamic functions and variables from partition functions
4. Applications of Statistical Thermodynamics
   1. Chemical Equilibrium
   2. Eyring Transition State Theory
   3. Blackbody Radiation
   4. Langmuir Model for Gas Adsorption
5. Kinetic Theory of Gases
   1. Principles of the Kinetic Theory of Gases
   2. Effusion
   3. Molecular collisions
   4. Viscosity
   5. Thermal conductivity
   6. Diffusion
6. Appendices
   1. Definition of variables
   2. Equations for reference
   3. Data section
      1. Data
   4. Mathematical background
      1. Essential mathematics for statistical thermodynamics
      2. Tips for deriving relations with partition functions
      3. Lagrange multipliers
   5. Derivations
      1. Translational partition function
      2. Rotational partition function of a linear molecule
      3. Vibrational partition function of a diatomic molecule