The Principles of Statistical Mechanics: Feynman's Physics Explained
Kinetic theory generalizes into a powerful framework: statistical mechanics. Its core is Boltzmann's law — in a system at thermal equilibrium, the chance of finding a part with energy E falls off exponentially as e^(-E/kT). This one simple law explains an enormous range of things, from how the atmosphere thins with altitude to the rates of chemical reactions and the heat capacities of materials.
The big idea
One exponential law governs the odds of energy across all of nature.
Think about it
Why does the air get thinner the higher you climb a mountain?
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