The mathematics of the previous problem can also be applied to a one-dimensional random walk: a journey consisting of Nsteps, all the same sic, cache chosen randomly to be cither forward or backward. (The usual mental image is that of a drunk stumbling along an alley.)

(a) Where are you most likely to find yourself, after the end of a long random walk?

(b) Suppose you take a random walk of 10,000steps (say each a yard long). About how far from your starting point would you expect to be at the end?

(c) A good example of a random walk in nature is the diffusion of a molecule through a gas; the average step length is then the mean free path, as computed in Section 1.7.Using this model, and neglecting any small numerical factors that might arise from the varying step size and the multidimensional nature of the path, estimate the expected net displacement of an air molecule (or perhaps a carbon monoxide molecule traveling through air) in one second, at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Discuss how your estimate would differ if the clasped time or the temperature were different. Check that your estimate is consistent with the treatment of diffusion in Section1.7.

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a) Its most probable scenario is, as is normal, an equally lot of actions to the left and right, signifying that its trip will most definitely conclude at its initial state (assuming a fair number of steps). Because the possibility line can even be modelled by a Gaussian it around apex, it is also realistic to expect that you will likely land up just few steps from either end of a origin.

(b) The place to begin would you expect to be at the top is 70x+70

(c) Estimate is according to the treatment of diffusiond=N2=6.1mm

Step by step solution

01

Flipping (a)

(a) This method is technically analogous to the coin turning operation in difficulty 2.24, with a step here to right yielding in a very head or a move to the left yielding in an exceedingly tail. As a corollary, the range of possible step patterns in an exceedingly chaotic system of Nsteps is 2N, and also the risk of coming away n steps first from start is

P=Ω(N,n)Ωmax

Ω(N,n)=n+N1nΩmax=2N

Ω(N,n)n+Nn=N!n!(Nn)!

P=12NN!n!(Nn)!

Ω2Ne2x2N

xwidth=N2

Ω(N,n)=n+N1nΩmax=2N

02

stochastic process   (b)

(b) for less than a variate of N=10000steps, we are able to find yourself later territory:

N2x+N2

100002x+100002

70x+70

03

Diffusion (c)

(c) The diffusion rate in a perfect gas is one instance of a stochastic process . We calculate the mean free path of a gas increases of radius r and used the identical model as in section 1.7:

14πr2VVmoγ

where could we be? The frequency of air molecules during a volume Vis denoted by Nmol. The underlying speed determined through kinetic law is employed to live the common movement of either a particle, which is:

v¯=3KTm

=1.5×107m

v¯=500m81

We must always count the number of steps at a time tbecause the number of steps in in an exceedingly chaotic system to depict diffusion as a random process.

N=v¯t

dxwidth=N2

dv¯t2=12v¯t

d12×500×1.5×107=0.0061m

d6.1mm

D12v¯

(Δx)2DΔtΔx12v¯Δt

04

The amount of moves

it is also merit note that when a gas molecule diffuses 6mmin 1second doesn't indicate it's doing so at a continuing speed of 6mm per second. Since this distance diffused is adequate the inverse of your time, the diffusion speed slows over time. A substance takes roughly 4months to permeate the length of a 10mmroom, which is noticeably slower than 6mmper second, as seen in problem 1.68. If we warm the earth while keeping everything else constant, the speed rises from v¯=3KTm, but still the phase velocity remains constant, therefore the the amount of moves during a given moment rises, implying that the molecules moves.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

According to the Sackur-Tetrode equation, the entropy of a monatomic ideal gas can become negative when its temperature (and hence its energy) is sufficiently low. Of course this is absurd, so the Sackur-Tetrode equation must be invalid at very low temperatures. Suppose you start with a sample of helium at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, then lower the temperature holding the density fixed. Pretend that the helium remains a gas and does not liquefy. Below what temperature would the Sackur-Tetrode equation predict that Sis negative? (The behavior of gases at very low temperatures is the main subject of Chapter 7.)

Rather than insisting that all the molecules be in the left half of a container, suppose we only require that they be in the leftmost 99%(leaving the remaining 1%completely empty). What is the probability of finding such an arrangement if there are 100molecules in the container? What if there are 10,000molecules? What if there are 1023?

Use a computer to reproduce the table and graph in Figure2.4: two Einstein solids, each containing three harmonic oscillators, with a total of six units of energy. Then modify the table and graph to show the case where one Einstein solid contains six harmonic oscillators and the other contains four harmonic oscillators (with the total number of energy units still equal to six). Assuming that all microstates are equally likely, what is the most probable macrostate, and what is its probability? What is the least probable macrostate, and what is its probability?

For each of the following irreversible processes, explain how you can tell that the total entropy of the universe has increased.
a Stirring salt into a pot of soup.
b Scrambling an egg.
c Humpty Dumpty having a great fall.
d A wave hitting a sand castle.
e Cutting down a tree.
fBurning gasoline in an automobile.

Consider a system of two Einstein solids, Aand B, each containing 10 oscillators, sharing a total of 20units of energy. Assume that the solids are weakly coupled, and that the total energy is fixed.

(a) How many different macro states are available to this system?

(b) How many different microstates are available to this system?

(c) Assuming that this system is in thermal equilibrium, what is the probability of finding all the energy in solid A?

(d) What is the probability of finding exactly half of the energy in solid A?

(e) Under what circumstances would this system exhibit irreversible behavior?

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