Paper 2, Section II, D

Statistical Physics
Part II, 2011

Write down the partition function for a single classical non-relativistic particle of mass mm moving in three dimensions in a potential U(x)U(\mathbf{x}) and in equilibrium with a heat bath at temperature TT.

A system of NN non-interacting classical non-relativistic particles, in equilibrium at temperature TT, is placed in a potential

U(x)=(x2+y2+z2)nV2n/3U(\mathbf{x})=\frac{\left(x^{2}+y^{2}+z^{2}\right)^{n}}{V^{2 n / 3}}

where nn is a positive integer. Using the partition function, show that the free energy is

F=NkBT(logV+32n+1nlogkBT+logIn+ const )F=-N k_{B} T\left(\log V+\frac{3}{2} \frac{n+1}{n} \log k_{B} T+\log I_{n}+\text { const }\right)

where

In=(m2π2)3/204πu2exp(u2n)duI_{n}=\left(\frac{m}{2 \pi \hbar^{2}}\right)^{3 / 2} \int_{0}^{\infty} 4 \pi u^{2} \exp \left(-u^{2 n}\right) d u

Explain the physical relevance of the constant term in the expression ()(*).

Viewing VV as an external parameter, akin to volume, compute the conjugate pressure pp and show that the equation of state coincides with that of an ideal gas.

Compute the energy EE, heat capacity CVC_{V} and entropy SS of the gas. Determine the local particle number density as a function of x|\mathbf{x}|.