--- product_id: 290938293 title: "An Introduction to Thermal Physics" price: "£32.49" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/290938293-an-introduction-to-thermal-physics store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # An Introduction to Thermal Physics **Price:** £32.49 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** An Introduction to Thermal Physics - **How much does it cost?** £32.49 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/290938293-an-introduction-to-thermal-physics) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Thermal physics deals with collections of large numbers of particles - typically 10 to the 23rd power or so. Examples include the air in a balloon, the water in a lake, the electrons in a chunk of metal, and the photons given off by the sun. We can't possibly follow every detail of the motions of so many particles. So in thermal physics we assume that these motions are random, and we use the laws of probability to predict how the material as a whole ought to behave. Alternatively, we can measure the bulk properties of a material, and from these infer something about the particles it is made of. This book will give you a working understanding of thermal physics, assuming that you have already studied introductory physics and calculus. You will learn to apply the general laws of energy and entropy to engines, refrigerators, chemical reactions, phase transformations, and mixtures. You will also learn to use basic quantum physics and powerful statistical methods to predict in detail how temperature affects molecular speeds, vibrations of solids, electrical and magnetic behaviors, emission of light, and exotic low-temperature phenomena. The problems and worked examples explore applications not just within physics but also to engineering, chemistry, biology, geology, atmospheric science, astrophysics, cosmology, and everyday life. Review: The chapters concerning the key fundamental results on statistical mechanics (the various ensembles and distribution statistics) - This is an outstanding introductory book on thermal physics, with readability and clarity put at the forefront. The author painstakingly explains key derivations, delineating practically every step with a masterful combination of prose and equations. The chapters concerning the key fundamental results on statistical mechanics (the various ensembles and distribution statistics) are the best I've seen, blowing away McQuarrie (both his undergrad and grad level books) and Chandlers' texts. The graduate level books have their merits, either in depth and/or rigor, but on average, I think Schroeder's approach will allow the readers to get their feet wet the most effectively. It's perfect as either your first read or as a companion piece to more comprehensive, first year graduate level texts. There are very few critical typos, which I think is important for first time readers trying to parse the difference between the jargon (microstates, macrostates, particle states, system states, multiplicity, density of state...). In any case, the author makes great effort in his definitions of terms. You're in good hands, I promise. This book requires just a bit of multi variable calculus but no vector calculus is required. The various transforms (Legendre, Fourier, Laplace, etc.) are only mentioned briefly as means to obtain important results, but they are not a prerequisite. Familiarity with a very rudimentary level of wave function formalism of quantum mechanics becomes crucial in the later chapters. This text contains very few, completely solved examples. I actually liked this approach since it keeps the book slim and compact. The author explains on his website defending his choice. I think the effort he places in explaining the derivations of key ideas step by step more than makes up for the lack of an easily accessible solution manual. Finally, I like to point out that the price of this modern, hardcover text is close to one-third of its close relatives. Take a look at the price tags of Ahlfors, Baby Rudin, 2nd edition Sakurai, 3rd edition Boas, etc.... It's one of the most generously priced, recently produced hardcover science texts on the market today. Five stars all the way! Review: My favorite thermal physics book - I’ve been using this text for a year now; its my favorite. The author covers the topic at a sophisticated level, doing so carefully and step-by-step. The exercises are essential, and are just challenging enough to push the student ahead. The writing style is friendly and straightforward. I’ve used a number of other textbooks yet always return to Schroeder. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #94,322 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #4 in Thermodynamics (Books) #5 in Solid-State Physics (Books) #8 in Mechanics | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 366 Reviews | ## Images ![An Introduction to Thermal Physics - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/519ivhV+C3L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The chapters concerning the key fundamental results on statistical mechanics (the various ensembles and distribution statistics) *by D***N on January 4, 2016* This is an outstanding introductory book on thermal physics, with readability and clarity put at the forefront. The author painstakingly explains key derivations, delineating practically every step with a masterful combination of prose and equations. The chapters concerning the key fundamental results on statistical mechanics (the various ensembles and distribution statistics) are the best I've seen, blowing away McQuarrie (both his undergrad and grad level books) and Chandlers' texts. The graduate level books have their merits, either in depth and/or rigor, but on average, I think Schroeder's approach will allow the readers to get their feet wet the most effectively. It's perfect as either your first read or as a companion piece to more comprehensive, first year graduate level texts. There are very few critical typos, which I think is important for first time readers trying to parse the difference between the jargon (microstates, macrostates, particle states, system states, multiplicity, density of state...). In any case, the author makes great effort in his definitions of terms. You're in good hands, I promise. This book requires just a bit of multi variable calculus but no vector calculus is required. The various transforms (Legendre, Fourier, Laplace, etc.) are only mentioned briefly as means to obtain important results, but they are not a prerequisite. Familiarity with a very rudimentary level of wave function formalism of quantum mechanics becomes crucial in the later chapters. This text contains very few, completely solved examples. I actually liked this approach since it keeps the book slim and compact. The author explains on his website defending his choice. I think the effort he places in explaining the derivations of key ideas step by step more than makes up for the lack of an easily accessible solution manual. Finally, I like to point out that the price of this modern, hardcover text is close to one-third of its close relatives. Take a look at the price tags of Ahlfors, Baby Rudin, 2nd edition Sakurai, 3rd edition Boas, etc.... It's one of the most generously priced, recently produced hardcover science texts on the market today. Five stars all the way! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My favorite thermal physics book *by J***S on February 28, 2026* I’ve been using this text for a year now; its my favorite. The author covers the topic at a sophisticated level, doing so carefully and step-by-step. The exercises are essential, and are just challenging enough to push the student ahead. The writing style is friendly and straightforward. I’ve used a number of other textbooks yet always return to Schroeder. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very clear presentation of thermal physics. *by D***N on May 6, 2026* Very clear presentation of thermal physics. It has a very good problem set - one of the few that derives "moist laps rates" for meteorological cloud formation. It has relegated some central thermodynamic relationships to the problem sets that likely should be marked "must do." ## Frequently Bought Together - AN INTRODUCTION TO THERMAL PHYSICS - Vibrations And Waves (Pb 2003) (The M.I.T. Introductory Physics Series) [Paperback] FRENCH A.P. - OPTICS, 5TH EDITION --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/290938293-an-introduction-to-thermal-physics](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/290938293-an-introduction-to-thermal-physics) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-06-29*