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statistical mechanics

(statistical physics)
(mechanical behavior based upon probability)

Statistical mechanics is the mechanical behavior of a system whose detailed state is unknown, but for which an overall (non-detailed) state can be derived through mathematical probability.

Likely, the original physics problem for which statistical mechanics was developed is the behavior of gases, e.g., Boyle's law or the ideal gas law, modeled as the highly probable result of the interaction of many molecules. Given the large number of molecules in everyday systems (e.g., the air in a room), the "probable" behavior is so probable as to be virtually determined. Statistical mechanics was worked out using classical mechanics but is also very relevant to quantum mechanics.


(physics,mechanics)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_mechanics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_statistical_mechanics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Statistical_mechanics
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/statistical_mechanics
https://web.stanford.edu/~peastman/statmech/
https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/noahmiller/files/statistical_mechanics.pdf
https://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/tong/statphys/statmechhtml/S1.html
https://people.chem.ucsb.edu/metiu/horia/OldFiles/Phys119B/StatMech1_Basics.pdf
http://www0.unsl.edu.ar/~cornette/ME/An-Introduction-to-Statistical-Mechanics-and-Thermodynamics.pdf

Referenced by pages:
Boltzmann constant (k)
effective field theory (EFT)
entropy (S)
Hamiltonian
mechanics
partition function (Z)
phase space
random walk
thermodynamics

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