Is Bose-Einstein Condensation a First-Order Phase Transition?

In summary, the conversation discusses whether the condensation of an ideal gas of bosons, with no interactions, is a first order phase transition. Some argue that it is not because the entropy is continuous at the critical temperature, but this reasoning is flawed as the system becomes a mixture of liquid and gas phases below the critical temperature. The liquid phase has zero entropy and molar volume, while the total entropy of the system is solely due to the gas phase. The total entropy remains continuous at the critical temperature because it is equal to the molar entropy of the gas phase multiplied by the number of moles, which changes continuously. The conversation also mentions that this applies to any type of phase transition, and the system does not cease to be uniform
  • #1
paweld
255
0
I'm not absolutely sure whether condensation of ideal gas of bosons (without
any interactions) is a first order phase transition. Some people claim that it
isn't first order phase transition because the entropy of a system is continuous
function at critical temperature. According to me however this reasoning
doesn't work because below critical temperature the system ceases to be uniform.
In fact it is a mixture of liquid and gas phase. The liquid phase has zero enetropy
and molar volume and the total entropy of the system is entarly due to gas phase. The
entropy of a whole system is continuous at critical temperature beacuse it is
equal to molar entropy of gas phase times number of moles of gas phase
(number of moles of gas phase changes continuously) but it is true in case
of any transition.
 
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  • #2
I don't think that the system ceases to be uniform if the underlying hamiltonian is homogeneous. Of course you can say that the condensate does not carry entropy but only the excited states but that is not a phase separation in strict sense.
 

What is Bose-Einstein condensation?

Bose-Einstein condensation is a phenomenon in which a large number of particles with integer spin, such as bosons, are cooled to a very low temperature and become confined to the same quantum state. This results in a state of matter with unique properties, such as superfluidity and coherence.

What are the conditions required for Bose-Einstein condensation to occur?

Bose-Einstein condensation requires a low temperature, typically below the critical temperature of the particles, and a high enough density of particles. Additionally, the particles must have integer spin and be able to interact with each other through attractive forces.

What are the real-world applications of Bose-Einstein condensation?

Bose-Einstein condensation has a variety of potential applications, including in the development of ultra-precise sensors, quantum computers, and superconductors. It has also been used in studies of fundamental physics, such as exploring the nature of superfluidity and quantum entanglement.

How is Bose-Einstein condensation different from regular condensation?

Regular condensation, such as the formation of dew on a surface, occurs when a gas or vapor is cooled and transitions into a liquid state. In Bose-Einstein condensation, a gas of particles is cooled to such a low temperature that they begin to behave as a single quantum entity, rather than individual particles.

Who discovered Bose-Einstein condensation?

Bose-Einstein condensation was first predicted in the 1920s by Indian physicist Satyendra Nath Bose and later described by Albert Einstein. However, it was not experimentally observed until 1995, when a team of scientists at the University of Colorado successfully cooled a gas of rubidium atoms to a temperature just above absolute zero.

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