B4.23
A gas of non-interacting identical bosons in volume , with one-particle energy levels , is in equilibrium at temperature and chemical potential . Let be the number of particles in the th one-particle state. Write down an expression for the grand partition function . Write down an expression for the probability of finding a given set of occupation numbers of the one-particle states. Hence determine the mean occupation numbers (the Bose-Einstein distribution). Write down expressions, in terms of the mean occupation numbers, for the total energy and total number of particles .
Write down an expression for the grand potential in terms of . Given that
show that can be written in the form
for some function , which you should determine. Hence show that for any change of the gas that leaves the mean occupation numbers unchanged. Consider a (quasi-static) change of with this property. Using the formula
and given that for each , show that
What is the value of for photons?
Let , so that is a function only of and . Why does the energy density depend only on Using the Maxwell relation
and the first law of thermodynamics for reversible changes, show that
and hence that
for some power that you should determine. Show further that
Hence verify, given , that is left unchanged by a change of at constant .