B1.22
Part II, 2003
A gas in equilibrium at temperature and pressure has quantum stationary states with energies in volume . What does it mean to say that a change in volume from to is reversible?
Write down an expression for the probability that the gas is in state . How is the entropy defined in terms of these probabilities? Write down an expression for the energy of the gas, and establish the relation
for reversible changes.
By considering the quantity , derive the Maxwell relation
A gas obeys the equation of state
where is a constant and is a function of only. The gas is expanded isothermally, at temperature , from volume to volume . Find the work done on the gas. Show that the heat absorbed by the gas is given by