Lecture 2
Lecture 2
Lecture 2:
Lecture 2:
Intro. Statistical Mechanics
Intro. Statistical Mechanics
Statistical mechanics: concepts Statistical mechanics: concepts
Aims: Aims:
A microscopic view of entropy:
Joule expansion reviewed.
Boltzmanns postulate.
S = k ln g.
Methods:
Calculating arrangements;
Stirlings formula;
Fluctuations.
Assemblies of quantum oscillators.
N
N
ln(N!)
N!/10^6
N N N N ln ! ln
) log(g k S =
February 05 Lecture 2 2
Joule expansion
Joule expansion
Factorials: Factorials:
Number of ways of selecting N distinguishable
objects:
N.(N-1).(N-2)1 = N!
= =
( )
= =
i
r
n N
n n n
N
g ,
! ! !
!
2 1
A
A
February 05 Lecture 2 6
Stirlings approximation
Stirlings approximation
(Revision) (Revision)
How many molecules in each chamber? How many molecules in each chamber?
The numbers must fluctuate (while N is clearly
fixed). Let us calculate the deviation from ideal
partitioning, n.
Box 1 with (N/2+n); Box 2 with (N/2-n).
Using previous result, A, and Stirling:
Using ln(1+x) x-x
2
/2 +.. For small x.
A sharply-peaked
Gaussian.
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) N n n N
N n n N N
n N n N n N
n N n N n N
N N N g
n N n N
N
n n g
/ 2 1 ln 2 /
/ 2 1 ln 2 / 2 ln
2 / 2 / ln 2 /
2 / 2 / ln 2 /
ln ln
! 2 / ! 2 /
!
,
2 1
+ + =
+
+ + + +
+
=
( )
( ) N n g
N n g
N
N
2
2
2 exp 2
2 2 ln ln
February 05 Lecture 2 8
2 non
2 non
-
-
degenerate states
degenerate states
What if the 2 chambers have different What if the 2 chambers have different
energies? energies?
For example molecules in the right chamber
have extra potential energy mgh.
The entropy comes from S = k ln g.
Free Energy F = U - TS is minimised at
equilibrium. (See also Q6, sheet 1.)
Boltzmann distribution (to be derived more
formally later).
( ) ( ) ( )
[ ] ) 1 ln( ) 1 ( ln
! ! 1
!
ln
f f f f Nk
Nf f N
N
k S
+
|
.
|
\
|
=
[ ]
( ) kT
f
f
f F
f f f f NkT Nf F
/ exp
1
0
) 1 ln( ) 1 ( ln
=
+ + =
February 05 Lecture 2 9
Quantum oscillators
Quantum oscillators
Example: Example:
5 oscillators sharing 4 quanta.
N.B. Even with this small number a Boltzmann
distribution emerges. 0 quanta most likely.
Oscillator No 1 2 3 4 5 No. of states
4 0 0 0 0 5
3 1 0 0 0 20
2 2 0 0 0 10
2 1 1 0 0 30
1 1 1 1 0 5
Total no. of microstates 70
February 05 Lecture 2 10
Counting microstates
Counting microstates
+
=
0 qu: {(4/5 x 5) + (3/5 x 20) + (3/5 x 10) + (2/5 x 30) + (1/5 x 5)}/70 = 0.5
1 qu: {(0/5 x 5) + (1/5 x 20) + (0/5 x 10) + (2/5 x 30) + (4/5 x 5)}/70 = 0.29
2 qu: {(0/5 x 5) + (0/5 x 20) + (2/5 x 10) + (1/5 x 30) + (0/5 x 5)}/70 = 0.14
3 qu: {(0/5 x 5) + (1/5 x 20) + (0/5 x 10) + (0/5 x 30) + (0/5 x 5)}/70 = 0.06
4 qu: {(1/5 x 5) + (0/5 x 20) + (0/5 x 10) + (0/5 x 30) + (0/5 x 5)}/70 = 0.01
Boltzmann distribution
Boltzmann distribution
February 05 Lecture 2 11
Concluding remarks
Concluding remarks
Direct calculation of the number of ways of
getting, for example, 2 quanta = no. of ways of
giving remaining 2 quanta (i.e. m-1 quanta) to
remaining 4 oscillators (i.e. N-1 osc.).
= (4-1+2)! / (4-1)! (2)! = 5! / 3! 2! = 10