Cohesive Energy of Atoms in a Crystal

[jam12]

Homework Statement

I would like to know what the cohesive energy of the crystal is.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

Is it the energy required to break the atoms free from a crystal (ie into free atoms with no potential)?
So would it be the minimum energy of a lennard jones potential? because any energy greater than this point would dissociate the atom from the potential of another (and hence the crystal).

I have plotted (potential) energy per particle of a system against different separation values for any two atoms. so can i take the minimum of this as the cohesive energy (it is an energy per particle)?

 

[mark726]

The cohesive energy of a crystal is indeed the energy required to break the atoms free from the crystal lattice and into free atoms with no potential. This can be calculated using the minimum energy of a Lennard-Jones potential or any other potential that accurately describes the interactions between the atoms in the crystal.

As for your plot, the minimum energy per particle at the equilibrium separation can be considered as the cohesive energy of the crystal. However, it is important to note that the cohesive energy may vary depending on the type of crystal and the specific interactions between its atoms. Therefore, it is best to use a theoretical or experimental value for the cohesive energy of a specific crystal rather than a general value.

I hope this helps. Best of luck in your studies!