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Thermal Physics Assignment

This document provides 4 problems related to entropy and thermodynamics. Problem 1 involves calculating the entropy change and final temperature when two bodies at different initial temperatures are isolated at constant volume. Problem 2 similarly calculates the total energy and final temperature when two bodies are placed in an adiabatic enclosure and undergo a reversible process. Problem 3 calculates the entropy of mixing for two ideal gases. Problem 4 relates the statistical mechanical origin of entropy of mixing to distinguishing particles and calculating additional microstates.

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257 views1 page

Thermal Physics Assignment

This document provides 4 problems related to entropy and thermodynamics. Problem 1 involves calculating the entropy change and final temperature when two bodies at different initial temperatures are isolated at constant volume. Problem 2 similarly calculates the total energy and final temperature when two bodies are placed in an adiabatic enclosure and undergo a reversible process. Problem 3 calculates the entropy of mixing for two ideal gases. Problem 4 relates the statistical mechanical origin of entropy of mixing to distinguishing particles and calculating additional microstates.

Uploaded by

Gary Tom
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics 253: Problem Set 6

(due Thursday Nov 13 at start of class)


Problem 1: Consider two identical bodies with internal energy U = CV T and initial
temperatures T1 and T2 (let T2>T1). The two bodies are maintained at constant volume and
are placed in an isolating enclosure where body 1 comes to a final temperature T1f and body 2
comes to a final temperature T2f (e.g. do NOT invoke the 0th law in this problem and assume
that the temperatures are equal). Note that no work isoutput and no heat is input/output so
the total internal energy of the system is constant.
(a) Solve for the entropy change from the initial state as a function of U1 alone using the
constant internal energy condition to eliminate U2.
(b) Use the principle of entropy maximization at constant internal energy to compute the final
temperature reached by the bodies (maximize the entropy as a function of U1).
Problem 2: Consider two identical bodies with internal energy U = CV T and initial
temperatures T1i and T2i (let T2i>T1i). The two bodies are maintained at constant volume and
are placed in an adiabatic enclosure where body 1 comes to a final temperature T1f and body 2
comes to a final temperature T2f via a reversible process so that the entropy is constant (Note:
do NOT invoke the 0th law in this problem and assume
the final temperatures are constant)
(a) Solve for the total internal energy of this system as a function of U1 alone using the
condition S=0 to eliminate U2.
(b) Use the principle of energy minimization at constant entropy to compute the final
temperature reached by the bodies. (minimize the internal energy as a function of U1).
Problem 3: Calculate the entropy of mixing for two distinguishable ideal gases with molecule
numbers N1 and N2 in terms of the total number of molecules N=N1+N2 and the molecule
fraction of species 1: N1/N=x (N2/N=1-x). You can accomplish the mixing via the following
scenario: the gases are initially at the same temperature and pressure and occupy different
chambers of an isolated system. The chambers have volume V1 and V2; the system has a
volume V=V1+V2. The chambers are initially isolated by a partition; when the partition is
removed the gases will mix. Your answer should reduce to the class result when x=1/2.
Problem 4: The entropy of mixing arises in statistical mechanical terms from the number of
extra microstates introduced when some particles in a population are distinguishable (i.e. so
that interchanging particle labels does generate new states).
(a) Calculate, out of a population of N molecules, the number of distinct ways one can chose
N1 molecules to correspond to a different species ("N choose N1").
(b) Calculate the entropy contribution arising from these additional microstates and find an
expression that is valid when that N1 and N2 are large (i.e. apply Stirling's approximation).
(c) Show that the expression obtained in part (b) is identical to what you computed in problem
3.

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