B1.22

Statistical Physics
Part II, 2003

A gas in equilibrium at temperature TT and pressure PP has quantum stationary states ii with energies Ei(V)E_{i}(V) in volume VV. What does it mean to say that a change in volume from VV to V+dVV+d V is reversible?

Write down an expression for the probability that the gas is in state ii. How is the entropy SS defined in terms of these probabilities? Write down an expression for the energy EE of the gas, and establish the relation

dE=TdSPdVd E=T d S-P d V

for reversible changes.

By considering the quantity F=ETSF=E-T S, derive the Maxwell relation

(SV)T=(PT)V\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial V}\right)_{T}=\left(\frac{\partial P}{\partial T}\right)_{V}

A gas obeys the equation of state

PV=RT+B(T)VP V=R T+\frac{B(T)}{V}

where RR is a constant and B(T)B(T) is a function of TT only. The gas is expanded isothermally, at temperature TT, from volume V0V_{0} to volume 2V02 V_{0}. Find the work ΔW\Delta W done on the gas. Show that the heat ΔQ\Delta Q absorbed by the gas is given by

ΔQ=RTlog2+T2V0dBdT\Delta Q=R T \log 2+\frac{T}{2 V_{0}} \frac{d B}{d T}