Prove that, for any system in equilibrium with a reservoir at temperature T, the average value of E2 is

E2¯=1Z2Zβ2

Then use this result and the results of the previous two problems to derive a formula for σEin terms of the heat capacity, C=E¯/T

You should findσE=kTC/k

Short Answer

Expert verified

Hence proved.

σE=TCvk

Step by step solution

01

Given information

For any system in equilibrium with a reservoir at temperature T, the average value of E2 is

E2¯=1Z2Zβ2

02

Explanation

The partition function is:

Z=se-βE(s)

Where βis Boltzmann's constant and is given as β=1kT

By partial derivative of partition function with respect to β

Zβ=s-E(s)e-βE(s)

By second partial derivative of partition function with respect to β

2Zβ2=sE(s)2e-βE(s)

Multiplying by Z/Z

2Zβ2=ZsE(s)2e-βE(s)Z

The probability is:

P=1Ze-βE(s)

Therefore,

2Zβ2=ZsE(s)2P(s)

03

Explanation

The average energy is:

E¯=sE(s)P(s)

The squared average energy:

E2¯=sE(s)2P(s)(2)

Substitute into (1)

2Zβ2=ZE2¯(3)

From problem 6.16,

Zβ=-ZE¯(4)

Substitute into (3)

βZβ=ZE2¯β(-ZE¯)=ZE2¯-ZE¯β-E¯Zβ=ZE2¯E2¯=-E¯β-E¯ZZβ

Using (4) we get:

E2¯=-E¯β-E¯(-E¯)E2¯=-E¯β+E¯2E2¯-E¯2=-E¯β(5)

Using the chain rule of partial derivative:

E¯β=E¯TTβ

Therefore,

Tβ=βT-1=T1kT-1=-1kT2-1=-kT2

Substitute into (5):

E2¯-E¯2=CvkT2

But σE2=E2¯-E¯2

σE2=CvkT2σE=TCvk

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Most popular questions from this chapter

In problem 6.20 you computed the partition function for a quantum harmonic oscillator :Zh.o.=11-e-βε, where ε=hfis the spacing between energy levels.

(a) Find an expression for the Helmholtz free energy of a system of Nharmonic oscillators.

(b) Find an expression for the entropy of this system as a function of temperature. (Don't worry, the result is fairly complicated.)

Equations 6.92 and 6.93 for the entropy and chemical potential involve the logarithm of the quantity VZintNvQ. Is this logarithm normally positive or negative? Plug in some numbers for an ordinary gas and discuss.

Show explicitly from the results of this section thatG=Nμfor an ideal gas.

Derive equation 6.92 and 6.93 for the entropy and chemical potential of an ideal gas.

In this problem you will investigate the behavior of ordinary hydrogen, H2, at low temperatures. The constant εis0.0076eV. As noted in the text, only half of the terms in the rotational partition function, equation6.3, contribute for any given molecule. More precisely, the set of allowed jvalues is determined by the spin configuration of the two atomic nuclei. There are four independent spin configurations, classified as a single "singlet" state and three "triplet" states. The time required for a molecule to convert between the singlet and triplet configurations is ordinarily quite long, so the properties of the two types of molecules can be studied independently. The singlet molecules are known as parahydrogen while the triplet molecules are known as orthohydrogen.

(a) For parahydrogen, only the rotational states with even values of j are allowed.Use a computer (as in Problem6.28) to calculate the rotational partition function, average energy, and heat capacity of a parahydrogen molecule. Plot the heat capacity as a function of kT/t

(b) For orthohydrogen, only the rotational states with odd values of jare allowed. Repeat part (a) for orthohydrogen.

(c) At high temperature, where the number of accessible even-j states is essentially the same as the number of accessible odd-j states, a sample of hydrogen gas will ordinarily consist of a mixture of 1/4parahydrogen and 3/4orthohydrogen. A mixture with these proportions is called normal hydrogen. Suppose that normal hydrogen is cooled to low temperature without allowing the spin configurations of the molecules to change. Plot the rotational heat capacity of this mixture as a function of temperature. At what temperature does the rotational heat capacity fall to half its hightemperature value (i.e., to k/2per molecule)?

(d) Suppose now that some hydrogen is cooled in the presence of a catalyst that allows the nuclear spins to frequently change alignment. In this case all terms in the original partition function are allowed, but the odd-j terms should be counted three times each because of the nuclear spin degeneracy. Calculate the rotational partition function, average energy, and heat capacity of this system, and plot the heat capacity as a function of kT/t.

(e) A deuterium molecule, D2, has nine independent nuclear spin configurations, of which six are "symmetric" and three are "antisymmetric." The rule for nomenclature is that the variety with more independent states gets called "ortho-," while the other gets called "para-." For orthodeuterium only even-j rotational states are allowed, while for paradeuterium only oddj states are allowed. Suppose, then, that a sample of D2gas, consisting of a normal equilibrium mixture of 2/3ortho and 1/3para, is cooled without allowing the nuclear spin configurations to change. Calculate and plot the rotational heat capacity of this system as a function of temperature.*

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