Problem sheet (Statistical Mechanics)

(1) Calculate the canonical partition function of ideal gas and hence establish the equation of
state.
(2) Plot the phase-space trajectory of a free particle in one dimensional box of length ‘L’ having
energy between E to E+dE.
(3) What do you meant by degenerate and non-degenerate gas? How degenerate and non-
degenerate gas varies with temperature and number density?
(4) Calculate the density of state for a free particle in 1 dimension and two dimensions.
5.(a) Consider a system of N-non interaction particles each having two energy levels, at
temperature T. (+E or –E respectively)
(i) Write down the single particle partition function,
(ii) Extend it for “N’ non-interacting system of particles,
(iii)Calculate the average energy for the system and
(iv)Calculate the free energy and the entropy.
6. Prove that the volume of the µ-phase space occupied by each particle having no spin is h3.
7. A system containing two spin half particles A and B stationary in space and each of magnetic
moment can be aligned either parallel or antiparallel to the direction of magnetic field. What are
possible microstates and macrostates of the system?
8. Consider a single particle enclosed in a square of sides L. calculate the number of microstates
available to this system if the total energy of the system lies between E and E+dE.
9. Consider a heteronuclear diatomic molecule with moment of inertia I. here only the rotational
motion of the molecule should be considered. Using classical statistical mechanics, calculate the
specific heat of this system at temperature T.

1  2 1 2 8 2 I

 E
Hints: E   
p  p  , z  e dp dp dd 
2I  sin 2   

10.For a two-dimensional electron gas, find the number of electrons per unit area.

s
11. Show that PV   E  is true for any statistics where ‘s’ indicates that the energy of a particle
3
varies as the ‘s’ th power of the linear momentum.
12. Consider an ideal Bose gas in two dimensions. Show that there will be no Bose Einstein
condensation in this case i.e the chemical potential will not vanish at any finite temperature.
13. Consider a quantum-mechanical gas of non-interacting spin zero bosons, Ech of mass m
which are free to move within volume V.
(i) Find the energy and heat capacity in the very low temperature region. Discuss why it is
appropriate at low temperatures to put the chemical potential equal to zero.
(ii) Show how the calculation is modified for a photon (mass=0) gas. Prove that the energy is
proportional to T4. Note: For all integrals in dimensionless form, but do not evaluate.
14. Consider a rigid lattice of distinguishable spin half atoms in a magnetic field. The spins have
two states, with energies   0 H and  0 H for spins up and down, respectively, relative to H. The
system is at temperature T.
(i) Determine the canonical partition function z for this system.

(ii) Determine the total magnetic moment M   0  N   N   of the system.

(iii). Determine the entropy of the system.

15.(i) By evaluating the volume of the relevant region of its phase space, show that the number
of microstates available to a rigid rotator with angular momentum less than M is 2M / h  .
2

(ii) Derive the partition function of a system of classical monoatomic ideal gas. How do you
show the extensive property of the entropy from this partition function?
(iii).A system has three non-degenerate energy states given by
 1  0 K ,  2 / k  200K and  3 / k  300K . Find the average energy   and dispersion
   2     2 for the system if the temperature of the system is 250 K.

16. With proper explanation, derive the condition of validity of classical statistical mechanics in
terms of the temperature and density of particles.
17. Write down the density of states in 3 dimensional system whose energy momentum relation
is given by E 2  p 2 c 2  m 2 c 4 .

18. A system has two energy levels at energies 0 and  having g0 and g1 respectively.

(i) write down the partition function.

(ii) Calculate the average energy.
(iii)What is the specific heat of the system?
(iv)Figure out the high temperature and low temperature behaviors of the specific heat.
19. Obtain the Saha ionization equation in stellar atmosphetres. Explain why the intensity of
spectral lines for various elements and ion in the spectra of starts increase and then decrease with
temperature of the stars. The temperature of the Sun is 5800 K. Explain why the solar spectra
show very weak Balmer lines.
20. For blackbody radiation in container of volume V at temperature T.
(i) Write down the density of states of photons.

(ii) Write down the average number of photons  nk  in a state having energy  k .

(iii)Obtain the energy density in the range of frequency  to   d .

21. A crystal contains N atoms which process spin 1 and magnetic moment  . If the crystal is in
thermal equilibrium at temperature T and in a uniform magnetic field B, find the average
magnetization as a function of B and T. Does this system show spontaneous magnetization?
Explain. Show that Curie’s law is valid in the appropriate limit.
22. A gas of N non0interacting particles is in thermal equilibrium at temperature T. Each particle
can be in any of the possible non-degenerate states of energy 0, 2 , 4 . Find the average energy
per particle of the gas, when  1 .