A Farewell to Entropy: Statistical Thermodynamics Based on Information.9789812707079 A farewell to entropy entropy (ĕn`trəpē), quantity specifying the amount of disorder or randomness in a system bearing energy or information. Originally defined in thermodynamics in terms of heat and temperature, entropy indicates the degree to which a given ; statistical thermodynamics In thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics is the study of the microscopic behaviors of thermodynamic systems using probability theory. Statistical thermodynamics, generally, provides a molecular level interpretation of thermodynamic quantities such as work, heat, free energy, based on information. Ben-Naim, Arieh. World Scientific 2008 384 pages $48.00 Paperback QC318 Ben-Naim (mathematics, The Hebrew U., Israel) goes one step beyond common interpretations of the principle of maximum entropy The principle of maximum entropy is a method for analyzing the available information in order to determine a unique epistemic probability distribution. It states that the least biased , replacing it with what he feels is the more suitable concept of information, or better yet, missing information (MI). He explains his rationale as he describes the history of studies of temperature and entropy and the association of entropy with disorder and MI. He describes the basic elements of probability theory probability theory Branch of mathematics that deals with analysis of random events. Probability is the numerical assessment of likelihood on a scale from 0 (impossibility) to 1 (absolute certainty). , including the axiomatic ax·i·o·mat·ic also ax·i·o·mat·i·cal adj. Of, relating to, or resembling an axiom; self-evident: "It's axiomatic in politics that voters won't throw out a presidential incumbent unless they think his challenger will approach and the relative frequency definition, then defines and explains elements of information theory, including MI and the average number of binary questions needed to acquire it. He explains the and the structure of the foundations of statistical thermodynamics. Ben-Naim also provides some simple applications such as the expansion of an ideal gas and a long series of very helpful appendices on a range of related issues. ([c]20082005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR) |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion