STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena

APS Excellence in Physics Education Award
November 2019

Science SPORE Prize
November 2011

The Open Source Physics Project is supported by NSF DUE-0442581.

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STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena

written by Harvey Gould and Jan Tobochnik

We first discuss a phenomenological mean-field theory of phase transitions due to Landau and introduce the ideas of universality and scaling near critical points. The breakdown of mean-field theory near a critical point leads us to introduce the renormalization group, which has had a major impact on our understanding of phase transitions, quantum field theory, and turbulence. We introduce the renormalization group in the context of percolation, a simple geometrical model that exhibits a continuous transition, and then apply renormalization group methods to the Ising model.

Book Title: Thermal and Statistical Physics

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Published: January 12, 2009
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Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Thermo & Stat Mech - Models = Ising Model - Phase Transitions = Critical Point = Mean-Field Theory = Renormalization Group	- Upper Undergraduate - Graduate/Professional	- Instructional Material = Textbook

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Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2009 Harvey Gould and Jan Tobochnik
All chapters are copyrighted by Harvey Gould and Jan Tobochnik. They are not to be copied or distributed without contacting one of the authors.
PACSs:: 05.70.Jk; 64.60.-i
Keywords:: Landau theory, osp, percolation, scaling, universality
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created January 15, 2009 by Anne Cox
Record Updated:: June 10, 2017 by Wolfgang Christian
Last Update when Cataloged:: January 12, 2009
Other Collections:: The Statistical and Thermal Physics

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<a href="https://www.compadre.org/OSP/items/detail.cfm?ID=8470">Gould, Harvey, and Jan Tobochnik. "STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena." In Thermal and Statistical Physics. 2009.</a>

AIP Format

H. Gould and J. Tobochnik, , in Thermal and Statistical Physics (2009), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931).

AJP/PRST-PER

H. Gould and J. Tobochnik, STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena, in Thermal and Statistical Physics (2009), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931>.

APA Format

Gould, H., & Tobochnik, J. (2009). STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena. In Thermal and Statistical Physics. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931

Chicago Format

Gould, Harvey, and Jan Tobochnik. "STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena." In Thermal and Statistical Physics. 2009. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931 (accessed 19 March 2025).

MLA Format

Gould, Harvey, and Jan Tobochnik. "STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena." Thermal and Statistical Physics. 2009. 12 Jan. 2009. 19 Mar. 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931>.

BibTeX Export Format

@incollection{ Author = "Harvey Gould and Jan Tobochnik", Title = {STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena}, BookTitle = {Thermal and Statistical Physics}, Month = {January}, Year = {2009} }

Refer Export Format

%A Harvey Gould %A Jan Tobochnik %T STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena %B Thermal and Statistical Physics %D January 12, 2009 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Book Section %A Gould, Harvey %A Tobochnik, Jan %D January 12, 2009 %T STP Textbook Chapter 9: Critical Phenomena %B Thermal and Statistical Physics %8 January 12, 2009 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8470&DocID=931

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