Gaskinetic Theory

A self-contained introduction to the molecular theory of gases and modern transport theory.

Gaskinetic Theory is an introductory text on the molecular theory of gases and on modern transport theory. It is suitable for upper division undergraduates in physics and first year graduate students in aerospace engineering, upper atmospheric science and space research. The first part introduces basic concepts, including the distribution function, classical theory of specific heats, binary collisions, mean free path, and reaction rates. Transport theory is used to express coefficients such as viscosity and heat conductivity in terms of molecular properties. The second part of the book covers advanced transport theory. Generalised transport equations are derived from the Boltzmann equation. The Chapman–Enskog and the Grad methods are discussed to obtain higher order transport equations for low density gases. The aerodynamics of solid bodies is explored and the book concludes with the kinetic description of shock waves.