PH102

Statistical Mechanics
Assignment Set II

January 19, 2017

1. It is generally more convenient whenever possible to use the Maxwell-Boltzmann

distribution, rather than quantum statistics. Under what conditions can quantum
systems be described by classical statistics ?

2. He atoms have spin 0 and hence are bosons. He makes up 5.24106 of the molecules
in the atmosphere. (a) Can the Boltzmann distribution be used to predict the thermal
properties of atmospheric helium at T = 273 K ? (b) Can it be used for liquid helium
at T = 4.2 K whoes density is 0.124 g/cm3 ?

3. Suppose the surface temperature of the Sun were about 12,000 K, rather than 6000
K. How much thermal radiation would the Sun emit? What would happen to the
Suns wavelength of peak emission? Do you think it would still be possible to have
life on Earth? Explain.

4. How many independent standing waves with wavelengths between 9.5 and 10.5 mm
can occur in a cubical cavity 1 m on a side ? How many with wavelengths between
99.5 and 100.5 mm?

5. If a red star and a white star radiate energy at the same rate, can they be the same
size? If not, which must be the larger?

6. The suns mass is 2.0 1030 kg, its radius is 7.0 108 m, and its surface temperature
is 5.8 103 K. How many years are needed for the sun to lose 1.0 percent of its mass
by radiation?

7. A copper sphere 5 cm in diameter whose emissivity is 0.3 is heated in a furnace to

400 C. At what rate does it radiate?

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 8. Find the number of electrons each lead atom contributes to the electron gas in solid
lead by comparing the density of free electrons with the number of lead atoms per
unit volume. The density of lead is 1.1 104 kg/m3 and the Fermi energy in lead is
9.4 eV.

9. A gas cloud in our galaxy emits radiation at a rate of 1.0x1027 W. The radiation has
its maximum intensity at a wavelength of 1 m. If the cloud is spherical and radiates
like a blackbody, find its surface temperature and diameter.

10. Estimate the mean kinetic energy of the free electrons in a metal if they obeyed
Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics. How does this compare with the actual result from
applying Fermi-Dirac statistics? Why is there such a difference ?

11. The Fermi energy in copper is 7.04 eV. Compare the approximate average energy of
the free electrons in copper at room temperature (kT = 0.025 eV) with their average
energy if they followed Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics.

12. Find the specific heat at constant volume of 1.00 cm3 of radiation in thermal equi-
librium at 1000 K.