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PH5006-Assignment_2

The document outlines Problem Set 3 for a Statistical Mechanics course, focusing on ensemble theory and non-interacting systems. It includes problems related to classical harmonic oscillators, the paramagnetic Ising model, ideal gases, and energy distributions. The problems require calculations of partition functions, mean energies, heat capacities, entropies, and other thermodynamic properties under various conditions.

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11 views

PH5006-Assignment_2

The document outlines Problem Set 3 for a Statistical Mechanics course, focusing on ensemble theory and non-interacting systems. It includes problems related to classical harmonic oscillators, the paramagnetic Ising model, ideal gases, and energy distributions. The problems require calculations of partition functions, mean energies, heat capacities, entropies, and other thermodynamic properties under various conditions.

Uploaded by

39SABIN T
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PH 5006 Statistical Mechanics 2022

Problem Set 3:Assignment-2


Ensemble Theory and
, Ensemble non-interacting systems
Theory

1. The classical harmonic oscillator is described by the Hamiltonian

p2 1
✏(p, q) = + m! 2 q 2 .
2m 2

Consider a system of N identical oscillators at fixed positions in space (e.g.,


PN
a crystal lattice). Clearly, the total Hamiltonian is H = i=1 ✏(pi , qi ).
(a) Starting from the partition function, compute the mean energy, heat
capacity and entropy.
(b) Express the partition function as an integral over energy ✏. Assume
that there is a lower bound for ✏, i.e., ✏ ✏0 where ✏0 > 0 and complete the
integral. Compute the above quantities again. What happens as T ! 0 ?
Compare with (a).
2. Consider the paramagnetic version of the Ising model, a quantum-mechanical
model for magnetism in solids, with Hamiltonian

N
X
H= µB H Si
i=1

where each variable Si takes only two values, ± 12 , µB is the Bohr magneton
and H is the applied magnetic field.
(a) Compute the partition function Zc (T, N ) for this system in the canon-
ical ensemble, and the free energy F .
(b) Using the partition function, compute the mean magnetic moment
PN
M = µB h i=1 Si i, and the susceptibility = @M
@H |H=0 .
(c) From the free energy, compute the entropy S.
(d) Explore the limiting behaviour of M and S as T ! 0 and T ! 1.
3. F Solve the above problem using free energy minimisation. Construct the
non-equilibrium free energy F(E) = E T S(E), where E is the energy.
Minimise F with respect to E and find E = HM . Confirm that your
answer matches with 2 (b). (hint: to find the function S(E), note that
a set of Ising spins adding up to give a certain value for M is essentially
the same as a random walk giving a net displacement equal to a required
value).
2
4. (a) Using the Sackur-Tetrode formula, find X as a function of X in an
ideal gas, where (i) X = E in the canonical ensemble, (ii) X = V in
the isobaric (Gibbs) ensemble and (iii) X = N in the grand-canonical
ensemble.
(b) Repeat the above for X = M in the system studied in p.2 above.
5. Consider an ideal gas at temperature T , in a container of height H placed
in a gravitational field such that the potential energy of a molecule is
u = mgz (0  z  H). Find the mean position z of a molecule. What
happens to z as T ! 0 and T ! 1?
6. Consider an ideal gas with just two molecules, in a box of volume V , in
equilibrium with a heat bath at temperature T .
(a) Find the probability distribution g2 (✏) of the total energy ✏ = ✏1 + ✏2 ,
and the mean and variance for the same.

1
(b) Make a graph of g2 (✏) versus ✏, and compare with the corresponding
plot for g1 (✏) (single molecule). Compare the coefficient of variation in
both cases.

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