8.

044 STATISTICAL PHYSICS I

Phase T=0 Quantum gases

Transitions

Canonical ensemble
Grand 3rd Law
Canonical
Ensemble 2nd Law

Language: Microcanonical ensemble

Probability 1st Law Transport

Processes

8.044 L1B1

PROBABILITY

Random variable (ignorance and/or QM)

Continuous, discrete, or mixed

Probability density: p(x) ↔ px(ζ)

Histogram
(normalized) p(x)

PROB(ζ ≤ x < ζ + dζ) = px(ζ)dζ

8.044 L1B2
⇒ px(ζ) ≥ 0,

 ∞
px(ζ)dζ = 1,

−∞

 b
PROB(a ≤ x < b) = px(ζ)dζ
a

Cumulative probability:
 ζ d
Px(ζ) ≡ px (ζ )dζ  ⇒ px(ζ) = Px(ζ)

−∞ dζ

Either px(ζ) or Px(ζ) completely specifies the RV x.

8.044 L1B3
Example Physical adsorption of a gas

most of the time ( when hot)

z
v
n
θ

y
x
φ
small fraction of the time (when hot) leaving the surface

8.044 L1B4

 p( φ)
p(v) v2
v3
e 2σ2
2σ4
1
2π
σ= kT
m

2π φ 3σ v
p( θ) p(t)
2sin( θ)cos( θ)
1 t τ
τe

π/2 θ τ t

8.044 L 1B5a
 p( φ) p(v)
1.0
P(φ) 1.0
P(v)

2π φ 3σ v
p( θ) p(t)
1.0 P(θ) 1.0 P(t)

π/2 θ τ t

8.044 L1B5b
 z

dΩ
PROB = p(θ)dθ p(φ)dφ
= 2 sin(θ) cos(θ)dθ(1/2π)dφ θ
dθ
dΩ = sin(θ)dθdφ y

φ
x dφ

PROB/dΩ = (1/π) cos(θ)

8.044 L1B6
Gaussian density (memorize)

p(x) h

(x−x0 )2 1
− he 2 = 0.61 h
p(x) = √ 1 e 2σ 2
2πσ 2

x0 x0 + σ x

2 parameters

8.044 L1B7