De Broglie Wavelengths: Need clarification for questions.

[Malitic]

Thanks for any help you can give. I just started modern physics and my teacher has a tendency to give questions that were based on things not mentioned in the book and only briefly mentioned in the lectures, so I'm a bit confused.

Homework Statement

1) Calculate the distribution function of the de Broglie wavelengths of atoms in the thermal equilibrium gas. The gas temp. is T and the atomic mass is M. What is the most probable de Broglie wavelength?

2)A neutron moves between two parallel impenetrable walls and the neutron velocity stays perpendicular to the wall surfaces. Distance between the walls is L = 1000 Å. Determine all allowed kinetic energies of a neutron, if its motion is described by standing de Broglie waves.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

1) While I would love to attempt the solution. What is "the thermal equilibrium gas"? I've never heard the term before and I couldn't find anything on google about it.

2) I think I know how to solve the problem, the wavelength cannot be greater the spacing between the walls, but the formula given uses "Å" as the units, and I'm not sure what the "Å" means.

I had the same Physics prof for two straight years, and he always gave problems directly from the book, so I'm not used to not being able to directly reference back to stuff.

 

[blochwave]

That A thing is the symbol for an angstrom, 10^-10 I think

For the first one I think they're saying the gas is at thermal equilibrium, so you can say the average kinetic energy = 3/2*K*T

 

[Malitic]

Thank you so much--especially with the first one. Now I can actually do the problems.

 

[Lojzek]

1) What is "the thermal equilibrium gas"? I've never heard the term before and I couldn't find anything on google about it.

Distribution of molecular velocities in termal equilibrium gas is Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.