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Physics
Classical Physics
Thermodynamics
Calculating number of microstates to find entropy
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[QUOTE="Twigg, post: 5581101, member: 572426"] You are correct. You cannot use the formula $$W = \frac{n!}{k_{1}! ... k_{r}!}$$ to calculate the number of possible states that a system of n identical particles can be distributed among r different energy levels. However, if you change your interpretation, you can use this formula to calculate the number of ways that a virtual collection of N distinguishable systems each of n identical particles can be distributed among the combined energy levels (possible energy levels of the imaginary collection). Then, the Boltzmann entropy formula applies even to systems in which the individual particles are indistinguishable. This is how the core formulas of statistical mechanics are justified in the quantum domain. Does that answer the question? [/QUOTE]
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Physics
Classical Physics
Thermodynamics
Calculating number of microstates to find entropy
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