An understanding of thermal physics is crucial to much of modern physics, chemistry and engineering. This book provides a modern introduction to the main principles that are foundational to thermal physics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The key concepts are carefully presented in a clear way, and new ideas are illustrated with copious worked examples as well as a description of the historical background to their discovery. Applications are presented to subjects as diverse as stellar astrophysics, information and communication theory, condensed matter physics and climate change. Each chapter concludes with detailed exercises. The second edition of this popular textbook maintains the structure and lively style of the first edition but extends its coverage of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to include several new topics, including osmosis, diffusion problems, Bayes theorem, radiative transfer, the Ising model and Monte Carlo methods. New examples and exercises have been added throughout.

"This is probably the best book I know of thermodynamics and statistical physics. The authors have done really a great job. [...] The contents of the book are organised in such way that it can be used for a standard undergraduate level course in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, where it is also possible to make the appropriate selection of the topics depending on the level and duration of the course. It could also be very useful as a source reference for lecturers in thermodynamics and statistical physics." - M.A.F. Sanjuan, Contemporary Physics