Calculating Fermi Energy for Gold Atoms

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the Fermi energy for gold atoms, specifically using the formula E_F=\frac{h^2}{8m_e} \left( \frac{3N}{\pi V} \right)^{2/3}. Participants clarify that the number of electrons N is equivalent to the number of gold atoms, which is critical for determining Fermi energy. The volume V is calculated using the formula V=\frac{m}{\rho}, where m is the mass of a single gold atom and ρ is the density of gold. The key takeaway is that N can be simplified to 1 for a single atom, allowing for the calculation of Fermi energy.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Fermi energy and its significance in solid-state physics
  • Familiarity with the concepts of electron density and free electron gas
  • Knowledge of basic thermodynamic equations and their applications
  • Proficiency in unit conversions, particularly in mass and density
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of the Fermi energy formula in detail
  • Learn about the properties of free electron gases and their applications in metals
  • Explore the implications of Fermi energy on electrical conductivity in materials
  • Investigate the relationship between atomic density and Fermi energy in different elements
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Students and researchers in physics, particularly those focusing on solid-state physics, materials science, and quantum mechanics, will benefit from this discussion.

roam
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Homework Statement



The density of gold (atomic mass 197) is 19.32 g/cm3. Assuming each gold atom contributes one electron to the free electron Fermi gas, calculate the Fermi energy in eV.

Homework Equations



Fermi energy is given by:

E_F=\frac{h^2}{8m_e} \left( \frac{3N}{\pi V} \right)^{2/3}

The total number of electrons is

N= \int^{\infty}_0 n(E) dE = \int^{E_F}_0 (8 \pi V/h^3) (2m_e^3)^{1/2} E^{1/2} dE = \frac{16 \pi V(2m_e^3)^{1/2}}{3h^3} E_F^{3/2}

The Attempt at a Solution



To find the Fermi energy I want to use the first equation but I need to know the number of electrons N (which is equal to the number of atoms), and the volume V. I found the volume but I'm not sure how to find N:

V=\frac{m}{\rho} = \frac{197 \times (1.66 \times 10^{-27}) \ kg}{19.32 \times (10^{-3}/10^{-6}) \ kg/m^3}

So how can I find the number of electrons? How can I use the second equation to find N without knowing EF? :confused:

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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Do you really need the number or something else for EF?

Edit:
BTW, what volume did you actually calculate?
 
Dickfore said:
Do you really need the number or something else for EF?

Edit:
BTW, what volume did you actually calculate?

Yes, I believe I need the actual numerical value of EF to be able to use that equation.

I calculated the total volume of the Fermi gas under consideration.
 
Wrong, you are asked to find the Fermi energy by using that equation.

Wrong, the mass that you used is not the mass of the whole sample, but something else.
 
Dickfore said:
Wrong, you are asked to find the Fermi energy by using that equation.

Wrong, the mass that you used is not the mass of the whole sample, but something else.

Sorry. Yes, that's the volume based on the mass of a single atom.

How can we solve that equation for EF without knowing N?

We don't know how many atoms are in the sample...
 
roam said:
Sorry. Yes, that's the volume based on the mass of a single atom.

How can we solve that equation for EF without knowing N?

We don't know how many atoms are in the sample...

So, how many atoms does a sample with a mass equal to one atom contain? You are given the number of electrons each atom contributes. This should suffice to obtain N.
 
Dickfore said:
So, how many atoms does a sample with a mass equal to one atom contain? You are given the number of electrons each atom contributes. This should suffice to obtain N.

So, do you mean we can then just use N=1?
 

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