George C. King is Emeritus Professor of Physics in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Manchester and Fellow of the Institute of Physics. His research interests are the study of atoms and molecules using synchrotron radiation and electron impact excitation, and he is the author of over 200 published papers describing these studies. He has over 40 years teaching experience that includes lecturing a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Editors' preface to the Manchester Physics Series xv
Author's preface xvii 1 Atoms, the constituents of matter 11.1 The mass of an atom 1
1.2 The size of an atom 6
1.3 Atomic structure 11 2 The forces that bind atoms together 432.1 General characteristics of interatomic forces 43
2.2 Interatomic potential energy 47
2.3 Types of interatomic bonding 51
2.4 Why gases, liquids, and solids 65 3 Thermal energy of atoms and molecules 693.1 Temperature and the translational kinetic energy of a molecule 69
3.2 Probability distributions and mean values 72
3.3 The Maxwell-Boltzmann speed distribution 80
3.4 Boltzmann's law 86
3.5 The isothermal atmosphere 91
3.6 Derivation of the Maxwell-Boltzmann speed distribution 96
3.7 Equipartition of energy 100
3.8 Specific heats of gases 106 4 Kinetic theory of gases: transport processes 1174.1 Kinetic theory of gases 117
4.2 Molecular collisions and the mean free path 118
4.3 The distribution of free paths 122
4.4 Diffusion 125
4.5 Thermal conduction 134
4.6 Viscosity 140
4.7 Comparison of transport properties 142
4.8 Effusion 144
4.9 The random walk 149 5 Real gases 1575.1 The van der Waals equation 158
5.2 P-V isotherms for a real gas 163
5.3 The virial equation 166
5.4 Internal energy and specific heats of a van der Waals gas 169
5.5 Phase diagrams 171 6 The First Law of Thermodynamics 1776.1 Thermodynamic equilibrium 178
6.2 Temperature 180
6.3 Heat 185
6.4 Internal energy 186
6.5 Work and Joule's paddle wheel experiment 188
6.6 First law of thermodynamics 191
6.7 Work done during volume changes 194
6.8 Reversible processes 196
6.9 Expansion of gases and the first law of thermodynamics 202
6.10 The Joule effect; the free expansion of an ideal gas 203
6.11 Molar specific heats of an ideal gas 205
6.12 Enthalpy 210
6.13 The Joule-Kelvin effect 212
6.14 Thermochemistry 217 7 The second law of thermodynamics 2237.1 Introduction 223
7.2 Heat engines 224
7.3 The Carnot cycle 229
7.4 Entropy 235
7.5 Entropy changes in reversible processes 238
7.6 Entropy changes in irreversible processes 241
7.7 Entropy and the second law 245
7.8 The fundamental thermodynamic relationship 246
7.9 Phase changes and the Clausius-Clapeyron equation 247
7.10 Gibbs free energy 252
7.11 Thermodynamic identities 255
7.12 A statistical approach to the second law of thermodynamics 259 8 Solids 2718.1 Types of solids 271
8.2 Crystal structure 273
8.3 The crystal lattice, unit cell, and basis 282
8.4 X-ray crystallography 290
8.5 Experimental techniques of X-ray crystallography 294
8.6 Neutron scattering 298
8.7 Interatomic forces in solids 299
8.8 Vibrations in crystals 301 9 The elastic properties of solids 3099.1 Stress, strain, and elastic moduli 309
9.2 Poisson's ratio 315
9.3 The velocity of sound in a thin wire 320
9.4 Torsional stress and strain 322
9.5 Elastic moduli and interatomic forces and potential energies 325
9.6 The inelastic behaviour of solids 332 10 Thermal and transport properties of solids 33910.1 Molar specific heats of solids 339
10.2 Thermal conductivity of solids 350
10.3 Diffusion in solids 353
10.4 Electrical and thermal conductivities of metals 356 11 Liquids 36311.1 The structure of liquids 363
11.2 Physical properties of liquids 366
11.3 The flow of liquids 374
11.4 The flow of real liquids 380 12 Liquid crystals 38712.1 Liquid crystal phases 388
12.2 Thermotropic liquid crystal phases 389
12.3 Polarised light 396
12.4 Optical properties of liquid crystals 402
12.5 Liquid crystal displays 410
12.6 Liquid crystals in nature 415 Problems 12 415
Solutions to problems 417
Index 437