Explanations An Introduction to Thermal Physics

Exercise 37
Chapter 3, Page 119

An Introduction to Thermal Physics

ISBN: 9780201380279

Table of contents

Explanation Verified
 1 of 7
Step 1

The chemical potential is defined in terms of the entropy as:

∂S
μ = −T ( ) (1)
∂N U ,V
​

This definition leads to a general thermodynamic identity:

dU = T dS − P dV + μdN

We can get another formula for μ from this:

∂U
μ=( )
∂N S,V
​ ​

We can apply these formulas to get the chemical potential of an ideal gas from the
Sackur-Tetrode equation:
3

S = N k [ln ( ( ) ]
V 4πmU 2 5
)
​

+ (2)
N 3N h2 2
​ ​

∂S
Schroeder applies −T ( ∂N )U ,V to this equation and gets the chemical potential as
​ ​

μ = −kT ln ( ( ) )
V 2πmkT 2
​

h2
​ ​

N
 2 of 7
Step 2
 3 of 7
Step 3
a
but, ln( b ) ​ = ln(a) − ln(b), so:
3

S = N k [ln (V ( ) ]
4πm(U − N mgz) 2 5
)
​

5
− ln(N 2) +
​

3h2 2
​ ​

5
S = N k [ln (C (U − N mgz ) 2 ) − ln(N 2 ) + ]
3 5 ​
​

2
​

where,
3
4πm 2
C=V ( 2 )
​

3h
​

We can now find the chemical potential by using formula (1), so:

∂ 5
[N ] [ln (C (U − N mgz ) 2 ) − ln(N 2 ) + ]
3 5
μ = −kT
​
​

∂N 2
​

using product rule, we get:

5
μ = −kT [ln (C (U − N mgz ) 2 ) − ln(N 2 ) + ] −
3 5 ​
​

2
​

1
3
C (U − N mgz ) 2 (−mgz) 1 5 3
5 ( N2)
​

2
−
​

N kT 3
​

N2 2
​ ​ ​

C (U − N mgz ) 2 ​ ​
 4 of 7
Step 4
 5 of 7
Step 5

6 of 7
Step 6
Since the volumes and temperatures are equal, from the ideal gas law P V = N kT , so:
P (z)V P (0)V
N (z) = ​ N (0) = ​

kT kT
substitute in equation (6), we get:

P (z)V P (0)V − mgz

= ​ e kT ​
​

kT kT
mgz
P (z) = P (0)e− kT ​

which is the barometric equation we obtained earlier.

 7 of 7
Result
3

(a) μ = −kT [ln ( ( ) )] + mgz

V 2πmkT 2
​

h2
​ ​

N
mgz mgz
(b) N (z) = N (0)e− kT ​

P (z) = P (0)e− kT ​

Exercise 36 Exercise 38

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