Fermi-Dirac: Density of electrons

In summary, the problem involves finding the density of conduction electrons and the Fermi energy in electron volts for monovalent copper. Using the formula n=DNA/m, the density of conduction electrons is found to be 8.4375x1028 m-3. The Fermi energy can be calculated using the formula f(E) = 1/(e(E-EF)/KT+1).
  • #1
teme92
185
2

Homework Statement



Monovalent copper (one conduction electron per atom) has a density of 9000 kg m-3 and atomic mass of 64 amu (ie. 1 kmole = 64kg). Find:

a)The density of conduction electrons per unit volume

b)the Fermi energy in electron volts

Homework Equations



f(E) = 1/(e(E-EF)/KT+1)

ρ=m/V

The Attempt at a Solution



So this is the first problem I've done on Fermi-Dirac so I'm a bit stuck here.

So I got the volume from V=m/ρ, so:

V=64/9000=.007m3

Is this even relevant to the question? Really lost and any help would be much appreciated
 
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  • #2
I think I have to use the formula n=DNA/m

where:

NA=Avogadros No. = 6.02x1023 mol-1
D=Density=9000 kg m-3=9000000 g m-3
m=64 amu= g mol-1

I used the formula to get n=(9000000)(6.02x1023)/64=8.4375x1028 m-3

Is this the answer for part a)?
 

1. What is the Fermi-Dirac distribution?

The Fermi-Dirac distribution is a mathematical function used to describe the distribution of electrons in a system at thermal equilibrium. It takes into account the exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers.

2. How does the Fermi-Dirac distribution relate to the density of electrons?

The Fermi-Dirac distribution provides a way to calculate the probability of finding an electron in a particular quantum state at a given energy level. This probability is directly related to the density of electrons in the system.

3. What is the difference between the Fermi-Dirac distribution and the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution?

The Fermi-Dirac distribution takes into account the exclusion principle, while the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution does not. This means that the Fermi-Dirac distribution is more accurate for describing systems with many identical particles, such as electrons in a metal, while the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is better for systems with non-identical particles, such as gases.

4. How is the Fermi-Dirac distribution affected by temperature?

The Fermi-Dirac distribution is a function of temperature, with higher temperatures leading to a broader distribution of electron energies. As the temperature increases, more electrons are able to occupy higher energy states, resulting in a decrease in the density of electrons at lower energy states.

5. How is the Fermi energy related to the Fermi-Dirac distribution?

The Fermi energy is the energy level at which the Fermi-Dirac distribution equals 0.5. It represents the highest energy level that electrons can occupy at absolute zero temperature. As the temperature increases, the Fermi energy also increases, leading to a broader distribution of electron energies and a decrease in the density of electrons at lower energy states.

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