Some advances textbooks define entropy by the formula

S=-ksPslnPs

where the sum runs over all microstates accessible to the system and Psis the probability of the system being in microstate s.

(a) For an isolated system, role="math" localid="1647056883940" Ps=1Ωfor all accessible states s. Show that in this case the preceding formula reduces to our familiar definition of entropy.

(b) For a system in thermal equilibrium with a reservoir at temperatureT,role="math" localid="1647057328146" Ps=e-EskTZ. Show that in this case as well, the preceding formula agrees with what we already know about entropy.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Part (a): S=klnΩ

Part (b):S=E-FT

Step by step solution

01

Part (a): Step 1. Given information

The entropy of the system is defined as

S=-ksPslnPs........................(1)

and the probability of finding the system in a microstate sis given by

Ps=1Ω........................(2)

02

Part (a): Step 2. Calculation

Substitute the value of Psfrom equation (2) into equation (1) and simplify to obtain the entropy of the system.

S=-ks1Ωln1Ω=klnΩΩs1=klnΩΩΩ=klnΩ

03

Part (b): Step 1. Given information

The probability is given by

Ps=e-EskTZ..................(3)

04

Part (b): Step 2. Calculation

Take logarithm from both sides of equation (3).

lnPs=lne-EskTZ=-βEs-lnZ=1kT-Es+F.................(4)

Substitute the values of the parameters from equation (3) and equation (4) into equation (1) and simplify to obtain the required entropy of the system.

S=-kse-EskTZ1kT-Es+F=1TsEse-βEsZ-FTse-βEsZ=E-FT

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Most popular questions from this chapter

At very high temperatures (as in the very early universe), the proton and the neutron can be thought of as two different states of the same particle, called the "nucleon." (The reactions that convert a proton to a neutron or vice versa require the absorption of an electron or a positron or a neutrino, but all of these particles tend to be very abundant at sufficiently high temperatures.) Since the neutron's mass is higher than the proton's by 2.3 x 10-30 kg, its energy is higher by this amount times c2. Suppose, then, that at some very early time, the nucleons were in thermal equilibrium with the rest of the universe at 1011 K. What fraction of the nucleons at that time were protons, and what fraction were neutrons?

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

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You should findσE=kTC/k

A particle near earth's surface traveling faster than about 11km/shas enough kinetic energy to completely escape from the earth, despite earth's gravitational pull. Molecules in the upper atmosphere that are moving faster than this will therefore escape if they do not suffer any collisions on the way out.

(a) The temperature of earth's upper atmosphere is actually quite high, around 1000K.Calculate the probability of a nitrogen molecule at this temperature moving faster than 11km/s, and comment on the result.

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