Chapter 9

Statistical Physics, Home Work

Solutions
9.1

Problem 9.2

Show that the most probable speed of a gas molecule is

r
2kB T
vmp =
m
Note that the most probable speed corresponds to the point where the Maxwellian speed
distribution curve, n(v), has a maximum.

Solution
The Maxwell distribution is given by:
4N
n(v) =
V

m
2kB T

3/2

v 2 emv

2 /2k

n(v) has a maximum when dn(v)/dv = 0. So,


3/2 

4N
m
dn(v)
mv 2 /2kB T
2 2mv mv 2 /2kB T
=
2ve
+v
e
dv
V
2kB T
2kB T
= 0

3/2


4N
m
mv 2
mv 2 /2kB T
=
ve
2
V
2kB T
kB T

CHAPTER 9. STATISTICAL PHYSICS, HOME WORK SOLUTIONS

From the last equation, there are three values for v that make n(v) = 0, namely:
r
2kB T
v = 0,
v = ,
and
v=
m
Since n(v) is always positive and n(v) 0 as v = 0 or , then first two values of v
correspond to minima and the third must be a maximum, then
r
2kB T
vmp =
m

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

9.2. PROBLEM 9.8

9.2

Problem 9.8

Use the distribution function given in Exercise 9.1:

n(E)dE =

2(N/V ) 1/2 E/kB T

E e
dE
(kB T )3/2

to find
(a) the most probable kinetic energy of gas molecules at temperature T ,
(b) the mean kinetic energy at T , and
(c) the root-mean-square kinetic energy at T .

Solution
(a) The given distribution applies also to the kinetic energy K, so
n(K)dK =

2 (N/V ) 1/2 K/kB T

K e
dK
( kB T )3/2

The most probable value of the kinetic energy Kmp occurs when K 1/2 eK/kB T has a
minimum.
d[K 1/2 eK/kB T ]
= 0
dK
1 1/2 K/kB T
1
=
K
e

K 1/2 eK/kB T
2
kB T


1
K 1/2
K/kB T

= e
2K 1/2 kB T
There are two solution to the above equation:
K = and this gives n() = 0. This means that this solution is a minimum.


1
K 1/2
K 1/2 kB T = 0, must be a maximum.
we therfore have:
Kmp =

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

1
kB T
2

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

CHAPTER 9. STATISTICAL PHYSICS, HOME WORK SOLUTIONS

(b) The mean kinetic energy K is given by:

Z
1
K =
Kn(K)dK
N/V 0
Z
2
K 3/2 eK/kB T dK
=
( kB T )3/2 0
Using Maple to evaluate the integral we get

K =

2
( K )
lim K 3/2 e kB T kB T
3/2
( kB T ) K
r

1
k T erf(
K)

1
1 B
kB T
( k K T )

B
r
+3 kB T kB T K e
+

2
4
1
kB T

Since e = 0 and erf() = 1 we get:

2
3(kB T )2
q
K =
1
(kB T )3/2 4
kB T

(kB T )5/2
3/2
4 (kB T )
3
=
kB T
2
=

(c) The root-mean-square energy Erms is given by:

2
Krms

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

Z
1
=
K 2 n(K) dK
N/V 0
Z
2
=
K 5/2 eK/kB T dK
(kB T )2/3 0
Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

9.2. PROBLEM 9.8

Using Maple to evaluate the integral, we get:

2
=
Krms

2
( K )
lim K 5/2 e kB T kB T
3/2
(kB T ) K

1 3/2 ( K ) 3
1
1
( k K T )
k T

+ 5 (kB T )2
2 K e B + 2 kB T 2 K e B + 4

1
erf(
K)
kB T

1
kB T

2
15
(kB T )7/2
3/2
(kB T )
8
15
=
(kB T )2
4
r
15
=
(kB T )
4

Krms

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

CHAPTER 9. STATISTICAL PHYSICS, HOME WORK SOLUTIONS

9.3

Problem 9.12

(a) Find the average energy per photon for photons in thermal equilibrium with a cavity at
temperature T .
(b) Calculate the average photon energy in electron volts at T = 6000 K. Hint: Two useful
integrals are
Z 3
Z 2
z dz
4
z dz

2.41
and

ez 1
ez 1
15
0
0

Solution
(a) The average energy per photon E can be found from Bose-Einestein distribution FBE
and the density of states g(E) as:
R
E =

E FBE g(E) dE
N/V
!, Z

FBE g(E) dE

E FBE g(E) dE

!, Z
!

8 E3
1
8 E2
1
dE
dE
(hc)3 eE/kB T 1
(hc)3 eE/kB T 1
0
0
!,

3
Z
8 (kB T )4
E
dE
1
(hc)3
kB T
eE/kB T 1 kB T
0
!

2
Z
8 (kB T )3
E
1
dE
(hc)3
kB T
eE/kB T 1 kB T
0

Z
=
=

Substituting z for E/(kB T ) we get:

Z
E =

kB T
0

z3
dz
ez 1

!, Z
0

z2
dz
ez 1

= kB T

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

15 2.41

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

9.3. PROBLEM 9.12

(b) The average energy per photon at 6000 K is:

kB T 4
E =
15 2.41
8.62 105 (eV /K) 6000 (K) 4
=
36.15
= 1.39 eV

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

9.4

CHAPTER 9. STATISTICAL PHYSICS, HOME WORK SOLUTIONS

Problem 9.17

Show that the average kinetic energy of a conduction electron in a metal at 0 K is given by
E = 3EF /5. By way of contrast, note that all of the molecules in an ideal gas at 0 K have
zero energy! Hint: Use the standard definition of an average given by
Z
V
E=
E g(E) fF D (E)dE
N 0

Solution
At T = 0 K, fF D = 0 for E > EF and fF D = 1 for E < Ef , and g(E) = D E 1/2 . Since:
Z
N
=
g(E) fF D dE
V
0
we then have:
Z
E =

!,

EF

E 3/2 dE

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

2 5/2
E
5 F

EF

E 1/2 dE

!,

2 3/2
E
3 F

3
EF
5

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein

9.5. PROBLEM 9.23

9.5

Problem 9.23

Calculate the energy of a conduction electron in silver at 800 K if the probability of finding
the electron in that state is 0.95. Assume that the Fermi energy for silver is 5.48 eV at this
temperature.

Solution
EF = 5.48 eV for silver at 800 K, we then have:
fF D = 0.95
=
e(EEf )/kB T =
E EF
kB T

=
=
E EF =
=
=
E =
=
=

Physics 206:Modern Physics II

1
e(EEf )/kB T + 1
1
1
0.95
1
ln (
1)
0.95
ln (0.05263)
2.944
2.944 kB T
2.944 8.617 105 (eV /K) 800 (K)
0.203 eV
0.203 + EF
0.203 + 5.48
5.28 eV

Winter 2004

Ahmed H. Hussein