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Microcanonical Extra Problems

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Anuradha guin
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5 views

Microcanonical Extra Problems

Uploaded by

Anuradha guin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. A monoatomic crystalline solid consists of N distinct atoms, out of which

n atoms are in distinct interstitial positions. If the number of available

interstitial sites are N ′ , then number of possible micro-states is


(N ′ + n)!
(a)
n!N !
N! N ′!
(b)
n! (N + n)! n! (N ′ + n)!
N!
DR
(c)
n! (N ′ − n)!
N! N!
(d)
n! (N − n)! n! (N ′ − n)!
Ans: 1d.
�N �
Out of N distinct atoms, there are n ways to choose n atoms to fill
� ′�
the interstitial sites. For each such choice, there are Nn ways to choose
� � �N ′ �
interstitial sites to fill. Thus the total number of micro-states is N
AF
n × n ,

which yields the correct answer.


T

158
2. A system has energy levels E0 , 2E0 , 3E0 , . . . , where the excited states are

triply degenerate. Four non-interacting indistinguishable particles are placed

in this system. If the total energy of these particles is 5E0 , the entropy of

the system is

(a) 0.693 k

(b) 1.099 k

(c) 1.386 k
DR
(d) 2.485 k

Ans: 2b

There is only one configuration of energy levels with 4 particles where the

total energy is 5E0 viz. three in the ground state and one in the first ex-

cited state. Since the excited state is 3−fold degenerate, and the choice
AF
of which particle does not matter (they are stated to be indistinguish-

able), the volume of the phase space is simply 3, and the corresponding

entropy is k ln 3 ≈ 1.099 k. Note that, had the particles been distinct,

then the choice would have mattered and we would get an entropy of
� � ��
k ln 3 × 41 ≈ 2.485 k. This is a simple example of the contrast between

quantum statistics, where identical particles are indistinguishable due to


T
quantum characteristics, and classical statistics, where they are not. This

topic is elaborated further in chapters 8 and later.

159
3. A microcanonical ensemble consists of 12 distinct atoms with each taking

either energy−0 state, or energy−ϵ state. Both states are non-degenerate.

If the total energy of this ensemble is 4ϵ, its entropy will be

(a) 6.205 k

(b) 0

(c) 0.693 k

(d) k
DR
Ans: 3a.

Clearly, the only way for the system to have an energy of 4ϵ is if 4 atoms

are in the ϵ state and the remaining 8 are in the ground state. The number
� �
12
of ways by which 4 atoms can be chosen out of 12 are = 495. Thus,
4
the Boltzmann entropy is S = k ln 495 ≈ 6.205 k
AF
4. A mixture contains the same number of moles of two ideal gases A and B,

with adiabatic constants γA and γB respectively. The adiabatic constant γ

of the mixture satisfies


� �
1 1 1 1
(a) = +
γ−1 2 � γA − 1 γB − 1 �
1 1 1 1
(b) = −
γ−1 2 � γA − 1 γB − 1 �
T
1 1 1 1
(c) = +
γ+1 2 � γA + 1 γB + 1 �
1 1 1 1
(d) = −
γ+1 2 γA + 1 γB + 1
Ans: 4a

From the equipartition theorem in eq. 6.41, if f (i) is the number of degrees

of freedom of each microscopic constituent of an ideal gas, then the specific


(i)
heat at constant volume CV = f (i) k/2. In addition, for one mole of the
(i) (i)
gas, CP − CV = k. Combining these yields the adiabatic constant γi =

160
� �3N/2
aU
Γ(U, V, N ) = (V − N b)N
N

(where a and b are positive constants). Its pressure P, volume V and tem-

perature T, are related by


� aN
�
(a) P + V2
(V − N b) = N kT
� aN
�
(b) P − V2
(V − N b) = N kT

(c) P V = N kT
DR
(d) P (V − N b) = N kT

Ans: 10d

Given the phase space volume, we can obtain the Boltzmann entropy

� �
−1 3N aU
k S = N ln (V − N b) + ln .
2 N
AF
First, we differentiate both sides with respect to V , keeping S constant.

This yields

� � � �
1 3 1 ∂U
0=N + ,
V − Nb 2 U ∂V S
2
T
=⇒ U = P (V − N b) .
3

Next, we differentiate both sides of the entropy equation above with respect

to S, keeping V constant. This yields

� �
−13N 1 ∂U
k = ,
2 U ∂S V
3
=⇒ U = N kT.
2

Combining the last two results yields the correct answer.

166

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