AIN SHAMS UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Communication Systems Engineering Program
Credit Hours Engineering Programs (CHEP)

Thermal and Statistical Physics (PHM 123)

Problem Set 7
Entropy
Choose the correct answer:
1. Twenty-five identical molecules are in a box. Microstates are designated by identifying the molecules in the left
and right halves of the box. The multiplicity of the configuration with 15 molecules in the right half and 10
molecules in the left half is:
a) 𝟏. 𝟎𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟑 d) 𝟑. 𝟐𝟕 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔
b) 𝟏𝟓𝟎 e) 𝟐𝟓
c) 𝟓

2. The thermodynamic state of a gas changes from one with 3.8 × 1018 microstates to one with 7.9 × 1019
microstates. The Boltzmann constant is 1.38 × 10−23 𝐽/𝐾. The change in entropy is
a) 𝟎 d) −𝟒. 𝟏𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟐𝟑
b) 𝟏. 𝟎𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟐𝟑 e) 𝟒. 𝟏𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟐𝟑
c) −𝟏. 𝟎𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟐𝟑

3. Let 𝑘 be the Boltzmann constant. If the thermodynamic state of a gas at temperature 𝑇 changes isothermally and
reversibly to a state with three times the number of microstates as initially, the energy input to the gas as heat is:
a) 𝑸 = 𝟎 d) 𝑸 = −𝒌𝑻 𝐥𝐧 𝟑
b) 𝑸 = 𝟑𝒌𝑻 e) 𝑸 = −𝟑𝒌𝑻
c) 𝑸 = 𝒌𝑻 𝐥𝐧 𝟑

4. A quantity of N molecules of an ideal gas initially occupies volume V. The gas then expands to volume 2V. The
number of microscopic states of the gas increases in this expansion. Under which of the following circumstances
will this number increase the most?
a) If the expansion is reversible and isothermal
b) If the expansion is reversible and adiabatic
c) The number will change by the same amount for both circumstances.

Problems
1. In the lecture, we showed that when 𝑛 moles of an ideal gas doubles its volume in a free expansion, the
entropy increase from the initial state 𝑖 to the final state 𝑓 is ∆𝑆 = 𝑆𝑓 − 𝑆𝑖 = 𝑛𝑅 𝑙𝑛 2. Derive this
increase in entropy by using statistical mechanics.
2. Suppose that there are 100 indistinguishable molecules in
the box shown in the figure. How many microstates are
associated with the configuration 𝑛1 = 50 and 𝑛2 = 50,
and with the configuration 𝑛1 = 100 and 𝑛2 = 0?
Interpret the results in terms of the relative probabilities
of the two configurations.

3. A box contains 𝑁 identical gas molecules equally divided

between its t wo halves. For 𝑁 = 50, what are

a. the multiplicity W of the central configuration (Multiplicity is the number of Microstates, and
the central configuration is the middle macrostate)
b. the total number of microstates, and
c. the percentage of the time the system spends in the central configuration?
For 𝑁 = 100, what are
d. W of the central configuration,
e. the total number of microstates, and
f. the percentage of the time the system spends in the central configuration?
For 𝑁 = 200, what are
g. W of the central configuration,
h. the total number of microstates, and
i. the percentage of the time the system spends in the central configuration?
j. Does the time spent in the central configuration increase or decrease with an increase in N?