Department of Physics & Astrophysics

M. Sc. (Prev), Semester II, Year 2020

Statistical Mechanics (PH-CT407)

Tutorial sheet - 5

1) In a classical system, let’s consider the Hamiltonian H =Ho + H1 where  <<1. Show
that the Helmholtz free can be expressed as the powers of  as,
𝐹 = 𝐹𝑜 + 𝜆〈𝐻1 〉𝑜 + ⋯
Where 𝐹𝑜 denotes the free energy and 〈𝐻1 〉𝑜 is the expectation value calculated with
=0. Find the internal energy 𝑈 = 〈𝐻〉 upto first order in .
2) Consider an ideal gas system of N number of nitrogen atoms in a box of volume V. If
there are no interactions between the atoms then, estimate the entropy as a function of the
total energy. Assume each atom is a solid sphere and single atom excludes a volume v
around it. Find an appropriate equation of state of the gas and estimate the isothermal
compressibility.
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3) Assume a system of N particles with spin ± 2 , placed in an external magnetic field H
and kept at temperature T. In the presence of magnetic field H, each particle’s energy
levels split into –H and +H where ±  are the magnetic moments along the direction
of magnetic field.
a) Find the internal energy, entropy, the specific heat and total magnetic moments M
of this system with the help of the canonical distribution.
b) Assume this N particle constitutes a solid system and the external filed H = 3
Tesla. If the magnetic moment  is equal to one Bohr magneton ( = 9.27x10-24
J/Tesla) then below what temperature one must cool the solid so that more than
75% of the atoms are polarized with their spins parallel to the external magnetic
field?
c) Suppose the above solid is free of paramagnetic atoms but contains many
protons. So below what temperature one must cool this solid so that more than
75% of the protons are polarized with their spins parallel to the external magnetic
field? The magnetic moment  of each proton with spin half is 1.41x10-26
J/Tesla.
4) A system consists of N weakly interacting particles, each of which can be in either of two
states with respective energies 1 and 2 where 1 < 2. Estimate explicitly the mean
energy 𝐸̅ (𝑇) and heat capacity 𝐶𝑉 (𝑇) of this system. What is 𝐸̅ in the limit of very low
and very high temperature? Estimate near what temperature does 𝐸̅ change from its low
to its high temperature limiting values? Find the value of 𝐶𝑉 (𝑇) at 𝑇 → 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑇 → ∞ .
5) Consider an ideal classical diatomic gas contained in a box of volume V placed within a
uniform applied electric field E. The gas molecules have an electric dipole moment . If
the interactions between molecules are negligible then,
a) Calculate the electric polarization P,
b) Estimate the dielectric constant of the gas in the low-filed limit |𝝁. 𝑬| ≪ 𝑘𝑇.
6) A system has several phases. The grand partition functions of the phase A and phase B
are given by Ξ𝐴 (𝜆𝑎 , 𝜆𝑏 , … . 𝑇, 𝑉𝐴 ) and Ξ𝐵 (𝜆𝑎 , 𝜆𝑏 , … . 𝑇, 𝑉𝐵 ) respectively. These two
phases are in mutual equilibrium with particles 𝑎, 𝑏, …. interchangeable between the
phases. Show that the number of particles, 𝑁𝑎𝐴 , 𝑁𝑎𝐵 , 𝑁𝑏𝐴 , 𝑁𝑏𝐵 , …. in phase A and Phase B
𝜕 log Ξ 𝜕 log Ξ
are determined by 𝑁𝑎𝐴 : 𝑁𝑎𝐵 = 𝜕𝜆 𝐴 ∶ 𝜕𝜆 𝐵 where 𝑁𝑎𝐴 + 𝑁𝑎𝐵 = 𝑁𝑎 total number of
𝑎 𝑎
particles 𝑎, etc.
7) Consider a system that may be occupied with energy zero or occupied by one particle in
either of the two states: one of energy zero and one of energy .
a) Show that the Gibbs sum for this system is 𝑍𝑔 = 1 + 𝜆 + 𝜆𝑒 −𝜀𝛽 (excludes the
possibility of one particle in each state at the same time) where 𝜆 = 𝑒 𝜇𝛽 is the
absolute activity (Fugacity).
𝜆+ 𝜆𝑒 −𝜖𝛽
b) Show that the thermal average occupancy of the system is 〈𝑁〉 = .
𝑍𝑔 (𝑇,𝜇)
c) Show that the thermal average occupancy of the state at energy  is
𝜆𝑒 −𝜖𝛽
〈𝑁〉 = .
𝑍𝑔 (𝑇,𝜇)
d) Find an expression for thermal average energy of the system.
e) If the energy states 0 and  may be occupied each by one particle at the same
time, show that 𝑍𝑔 = 1 + 𝜆 + 𝜆𝑒 −𝜀𝛽 + 𝜆2 𝑒 −𝜀𝛽 = (1 + 𝜆)[1 + 𝜆𝑒 −𝜀𝛽 ]