Statistical Mechanics


This deals with thermodynamics at the level of atoms and molecules. This is an important area of study, but it is not as well or easily subdivided as other areas in the knowledge base.	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience Science Physics Thermodynamics Quantum statistical mechanics Relativistic statistical mechanics Classical statistical mechanics

This deals with thermodynamics at the level of atoms and molecules. This is an important area of study, but it is not as well or easily subdivided as other areas in the knowledge base.

Quantum Statistical Mechanics

This is useful in examing matter under conditions where quantum mechanics predicts significant differences from classical behavior, such as vibrating molecules, or exotic states of matter where the particles of interest are subatomic.

Relativistic Statistical Mechanics

This is useful at extremely high energies and temperatures when atoms and molecules move so fast that they are obeying rules of special relativity.

Classical Statistical Mechanics

This is useful when the atoms and molecules in matter can be treated as using classical mechanics.


The history of this subject is entirely modern. Other areas of knowledge such as sociology may be applicable. Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion may be useful. Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture is highly important. Anthropology including particular groups, human geography, human ecology, physical anthropology, demography, and social foundations is less directly connected. Personal studies including biography, psychology, and the human body may be useful in statistical mechanics.
Biology may suggest applications, but is not fundamental to thermodynamics. Earth science including geohistory, physical geography, atmospheric science, hydrospheric science, and geology suggest applications and problems. Astronomy including cosmology, galactic astronomy, stellar astronomy, and solar system astronomy also suggests application of statistical mechanics. Chemistry including chemical systems, changes, and chemical substances may suggest applications of statistical mechanics.	Links to other sites Not yet included.
The structure of matter is essential. Quantum theory is used in a branch of this subject. Relativity is used in a branch of this subject. Electromagnetism including electostatics, electric current, magnetism, and optics are sometimes useful in statistical mechanics. This is used to develop nonclassical thernodynamics and classical thermodynamics. Mechanics, as might be guessed, is fundamental to statistical mechanics. Gravitation is usually neglected in elementary treatments of statistical mechanics, but appears in advanced studies. Nonrigid mechanics including wave mechanics, fluid mechanics, and deformable body mechanics is important. Rigid body mechanics including dynamic systems, static systems, rotational dynamics, and rigid body description and motion is highly useful. Particle mechanics including particle systems, energetics, kinetics, kinematics, and particle description is highly useful.

The history of this subject is entirely modern. Other areas of knowledge such as sociology may be applicable. Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion may be useful. Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture is highly important. Anthropology including particular groups, human geography, human ecology, physical anthropology, demography, and social foundations is less directly connected. Personal studies including biography, psychology, and the human body may be useful in statistical mechanics.

Biology may suggest applications, but is not fundamental to thermodynamics. Earth science including geohistory, physical geography, atmospheric science, hydrospheric science, and geology suggest applications and problems. Astronomy including cosmology, galactic astronomy, stellar astronomy, and solar system astronomy also suggests application of statistical mechanics. Chemistry including chemical systems, changes, and chemical substances may suggest applications of statistical mechanics.

Links to other sites
Not yet included.

The structure of matter is essential. Quantum theory is used in a branch of this subject. Relativity is used in a branch of this subject. Electromagnetism including electostatics, electric current, magnetism, and optics are sometimes useful in statistical mechanics.

This is used to develop nonclassical thernodynamics and classical thermodynamics. Mechanics, as might be guessed, is fundamental to statistical mechanics. Gravitation is usually neglected in elementary treatments of statistical mechanics, but appears in advanced studies. Nonrigid mechanics including wave mechanics, fluid mechanics, and deformable body mechanics is important. Rigid body mechanics including dynamic systems, static systems, rotational dynamics, and rigid body description and motion is highly useful. Particle mechanics including particle systems, energetics, kinetics, kinematics, and particle description is highly useful.