Solutions to Selected Problems from Chapter 4

Problem 5
1/2
Problem Statement: Suppose that W varies as W = Aeγ(V U ) with γ a
constant. How does the temperature vary as a function of U ? For what value
of the energy is the temperature zero?
Solution:
Given: 1/2
W = Aeγ(V U )
where γ is a constant.
The temperature T is defined as:
1 ∂S ∂ ln W
= = kB
T ∂U ∂U
Substituting for W :
ln W = ln A + γ(V U )1/2
 1/2
∂ ln W γ V
=
∂U 2 U
Thus,
 1/2  1/2
1 γ V 2 U
= kB ⇒T =
T 2 U kB γ V
To find when T = 0:
T =0⇒U =0

Problem 8
Problem Statement: A paramagnet in one dimension can be modeled as a
linear chain of N + 1 spins. Each spin interacts with its neighbors in such a way
that the energy is U = nϵ, where n is the number of domain walls separating
regions of up spins from down spins.
(a) How many ways can n domain walls be arranged?
(b) Calculate the entropy, S(U ), and hence show that the energy is related
to the temperature as
Nϵ
U=
exp(ϵ/kB T ) + 1

1
 Solution:
The number of ways to arrange n domain walls in N positions is given by:
 
N N!
W = =
n n!(N − n)!
The entropy S(U ) is:
S(U ) = kB ln W
The energy U = 2nJ − N J, leading to:
U + NJ
n=
2J
Thus, !
N!
S(U ) = kB ln U +N J

U +N J


2J ! N− 2J !
Using the Boltzmann distribution, we can derive:
Nϵ
U=
exp(ϵ/kB T ) + 1

Problem 9
Problem Statement: N atoms are arranged to lie on a simple cubic crystal
lattice. Then M of these atoms are removed from their lattice sites to lie at the
interstices of the lattice, that is, points which lie centrally between the lattice
sites.
(a) Show that the number of ways of taking M atoms from lattice sites and
placing them on interstices is W = M !(NN−M !
)! .
(b) Suppose that the energy required to move an atom away from its lattice
site into any interstitial site is ϵ. The energy is U = M ϵ if there are M interstitial
atoms. Use the formula for S in terms of W and the formula which defines the
temperature to obtain
1 ϵ N −M
=
T kB M
Solution:
(a) The number of ways to place M atoms in N interstitial sites is:
 
N N!
W = =
M M !(N − M )!
(b) If ϵ is the energy required to move an atom, then U = M ϵ.
Using the entropy S = kB ln W :
 
N!
S = kB ln
M !(N − M )!
1 ∂S
Using the formula T = ∂U , we get:
1 ϵ N −M
=
T kB M

2
Problem 10
Problem Statement: The entropy of black body radiation is given by the
formula
S = aV 1/4 U 3/4
where a is a constant. Determine the temperature of the radiation and show
that the pressure is P = U/3V .
Solution:
The temperature T is given by:
1 ∂S 3a 1/4 −1/4
= = V U
T ∂U 4
Thus,
4 −1 −1/4 1/4
T = a V U
3
∂U
The pressure P can be obtained from P = − ∂V at constant entropy. Given
the form of the entropy, we have:
U
P =
3V