Paper 4, Section II, A

Statistical Physics
Part II, 2013

A classical particle of mass mm moving non-relativistically in two-dimensional space is enclosed inside a circle of radius RR and attached by a spring with constant κ\kappa to the centre of the circle. The particle thus moves in a potential

V(r)={12κr2 for r<R for rRV(r)= \begin{cases}\frac{1}{2} \kappa r^{2} & \text { for } r<R \\ \infty & \text { for } r \geqslant R\end{cases}

where r2=x2+y2r^{2}=x^{2}+y^{2}. Let the particle be coupled to a heat reservoir at temperature TT.

(i) Which of the ensembles of statistical physics should be used to model the system?

(ii) Calculate the partition function for the particle.

(iii) Calculate the average energy E\langle E\rangle and the average potential energy V\langle V\rangle of the particle.

(iv) What is the average energy in:

(a) the limit 12κR2kBT\frac{1}{2} \kappa R^{2} \gg k_{\mathrm{B}} T (strong coupling)?

(b) the limit 12κR2kBT\frac{1}{2} \kappa R^{2} \ll k_{\mathrm{B}} T (weak coupling)?

Compare the two results with the values expected from equipartition of energy.