Diatomic Gas, Grand Canonical Ensemble

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the application of the grand canonical ensemble to a diatomic classical ideal gas, specifically addressing the ideal gas law and the chemical potential. The original poster presents two parts: the first part aims to demonstrate that the ideal gas law \( P = nkT \) holds, while the second part seeks to find the chemical potential in terms of pressure and temperature.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the grand canonical distribution and its implications for the ideal gas law, with attempts to derive relationships between pressure, volume, and temperature.
  • There are discussions on the rotational partition function and its role in determining the chemical potential, with some participants questioning the treatment of energy contributions from translational and rotational states.
  • Several participants express a need for clarification on the derivation of the chemical potential and its dependence on the partition function.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with various attempts to tackle part (b) of the problem. Some participants have provided insights into the partition functions and their contributions, while others are seeking further clarification or assistance. There is no explicit consensus yet, but productive lines of reasoning are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of homework rules, which may limit the information they can share or the methods they can use. There is an emphasis on deriving results without providing complete solutions.

unscientific
Messages
1,728
Reaction score
13

Homework Statement



Part (a): Using grand canonical distribution, show ideal gas law ##P = nkT## holds, where ##n = \frac{\overline{N}}{V}##.

Part (b): Find chemical potential of diatomic classical ideal gas in terms of ##P## and ##T##. The rotational levels are excited, but not the vibrational. Mass of each molecule is ##m##, separation is ##r##.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



Part(a)

Z = \sum_{N=0}^{\infty} e^{\beta \mu N} Z_N = \sum_{N=0}^{\infty}\frac{1}{N!} \left( \frac{Ve^{\beta \mu}}{\lambda_{th}^3}\right)

Where ##Z_N = \frac{1}{N!} (\frac{V}{\lambda_{th}^3})^N## and ##\beta = \frac{1}{kT}##.

Z = exp \left( \frac{Ve^{\beta \mu}}{\lambda_{th}^3}\right)

Starting with Gibb's Entropy, where probability ##P_i = \frac{e^{-\beta(E_i - \mu N_i)}}{Z}##

S = -k \sum_i P_i ln(P_i)
S = -k \sum_i P_i \left[ -\beta (E_i - \mu N_i) - ln Z\right]
S = \frac{U}{T} - \frac{1}{T}\mu N + k ln Z

Grand Potential is defined as ##\Phi_G = -kT ln (Z)##.

\Phi_G = U - TS - \mu N
d\Phi_G = -SdT - pdV - Nd\mu

To prove the ideal gas law, we must find a relation between P, V and T. We do this using grand potential.

Starting:
P = -\left( \frac{\partial \Phi_G}{\partial V} \right)_{T,\mu}
N = -\left( \frac{\partial \Phi_G}{\partial \mu} \right)_{V,T}

Then by differentiating, I showed that ##PV = NkT##.

Part(b)

Attempt #1: Using grand partition function

We must first find the rotational partition function. Energies are given by ##E_a = \frac{\hbar ^2}{2I}j(j+1)##.

Z_{rot} = \sum (2j+1) e^{-\beta(E_j -\mu N)}

Converting sum into integral:

\int_0^{\infty} (2j+1) e^{-j(j+1)\frac{\theta_{rot}}{T}} dj \int_0^{\infty} e^{-\beta \mu N} dN
Z_{rot} = \frac{2I}{\hbar \mu} (kT)^2

Together:
Z = Z_{rot}Z_{trans} = \frac{2I}{\hbar \mu} (\frac{1}{\beta})^2 exp \left( \frac{Ve^{\beta \mu}}{\lambda_{th}^3}\right)

ln Z = ln(\frac{2I}{\hbar \mu}) - 2ln (\frac{1}{\beta}) + Z_1 e^{\beta \mu}Gibbs Potential ##\Phi_G = -kt ln (Z) = -\frac{1}{\beta} ln (Z)##

\Phi_G = \frac{1}{\beta} ln \frac{2I}{\hbar \mu} - \frac{1}{\beta} ln(\frac{1}{\beta}) + \frac{1}{\beta} Z_1 e^{\beta \mu}

Using ##N = -(\frac{\partial \Phi_G}{\partial \mu})_{V,T}##:

N = -\frac{1}{\beta \mu} + Z_1 e^{\beta \mu}Attempt #2: Using single-particle partition function

Z = Z_{rot}Z_{trans}

Translational one-particle Partition Function:
Z_{trans} = \int e^{-\beta E} g_{(\vec{k})} d^3\vec{k} = \frac{V}{\lambda_{th}^3}

Rotational one-particle Partition Function:
Z_{rot} = \sum (2j+1)e^{-j(j+1)\frac{\theta_{rot}}{T}}

where ##\theta_{rot} = \frac{\hbar^2}{2Ik}##

Converting sum into integral:

Z_{rot} = \frac{T}{\theta_{rot}}

Together, the total partition function is:

Z = Z_{rot}Z_{trans} = \frac{V}{\lambda_{th}^3}\frac{T}{\theta_{rot}}

To find ##\mu = -\left(\frac{\partial F}{\partial N}\right)_{T,V}##, how do I find ##F## from partition function ##Z##?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
bumpp
 
part (b) anyone?
 
Part (b), Attempt #1: If I assume that the rotational partition function is simply ##Z_{rot} = \sum (2j+1)e^{-j(j+1)\frac{\theta_{rot}}{T}}##, the chemical expression comes out much nicer.
 
bump part (b) anyone?
 
bump part (b) anyone?
 
bumpp
 
bumpp part (b) anyone?
 
bumppp part (b) anyone?
 
  • #10
bump part (b)??
 
  • #11
bumpp part (b)?
 
  • #12
bump part (b)?
 
  • #13
I think I have figured it out. If total energy is ##U_{tot} = U_{trans} + U_{rot}##, the chemical potential can be accounted for either in ##U_{trans}## or ##U_{rot}## but not both.

Bearing this in mind, the partition function is ##Z = Z_{trans}Z_{rot}## where the ##e^{\beta \mu N}## only appears once in the ##Z_{trans}## and not in the ##Z_{rot}##. Hence the final equation should be less a ##-\frac{1}{\beta \mu}## term:

N = Z_1 e^{\beta \mu}

So this gives chemical potential as:

\mu = kT ln\left(\frac{N}{Z_1}\right)

Which is the same expression when derived using ##\mu = \left(\frac{\partial F}{\partial N}\right)_{T,V}##
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K