How is energy shared in plasma between particles and photons?

In summary, at equilibrium, the total kinetic energy in the plasma at a given temperature is proportional to the density of the plasma, while the energy density of photons depends solely on the temperature. The system reaches thermal equilibrium when the total number of photons absorbed and emitted are equal, and this equilibrium is determined by the temperature of the system. The description of the particles in the plasma considers the entropy, temperature, and number of particles.
  • #1
Spinnor
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Suppose I had some plasma in box with walls that allowed nothing thru, photons, plasma, energy. Now heat the plasma and maintain some temperature T (ignore the difficulty in heating the plasma with the above walls, just assume you can). An approximation to this might be some small region of the sun at temperature T and nearly in equilibrium?

I assume at constant T there is an equilibrium where just as many photons are absorbed as are emitted?

How will the total kinetic energy in the plasma compare to the total energy in photons?


Thanks for any help!
 
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  • #2
Spinnor said:
...

How will the total kinetic energy in the plasma compare to the total energy in photons?

Thanks for any help!

At equilibrium the kinetic energy in the plasma at given T goes as the density of the plasma while the energy density of the photons just depends on the temperature T?

Thanks for any help!
 
  • #3
by restricting heat transfer between the object and the universe, the total energy inside the object is constant. heating the system can have 2 possibilities.
1 - adding more photons to the system
2 - redistributing the system such that the enthropy increases
there will be some well defined temperature T at which the total number absorbed and emitted are equal, and that's the thermal equilibrium of the system. it will depend only on the temperature of the system.
the complete description of the particles is then a function of the enrthropy, the temperature and the number of particles in the plasma.
 

FAQ: How is energy shared in plasma between particles and photons?

1. How is energy shared between particles in plasma?

In plasma, energy is shared between particles through collisions and interactions. When particles collide, they can transfer energy to each other, causing them to move at different speeds. Additionally, particles can also interact through electromagnetic forces, which can cause them to exchange energy.

2. How is energy shared between particles and photons in plasma?

In addition to sharing energy with each other, particles in plasma can also interact with photons. Photons are packets of energy that can be emitted or absorbed by particles. When a photon is absorbed by a particle, its energy is transferred to that particle, causing it to gain energy and potentially change its behavior.

3. Can energy be transferred between particles and photons without collisions?

Yes, energy can be transferred between particles and photons without collisions. This is known as non-collisional energy transfer and can occur through other forms of interaction, such as electromagnetic forces. In this case, the energy is transferred through the exchange of virtual photons between the particles and photons.

4. How does the temperature of plasma affect energy sharing between particles and photons?

The temperature of plasma plays a significant role in the energy sharing between particles and photons. At higher temperatures, particles have more energy and move faster, increasing the likelihood of collisions and interactions with photons. This leads to more efficient energy transfer between particles and photons in hot plasma.

5. Does the type of plasma affect energy sharing between particles and photons?

Yes, the type of plasma can impact energy sharing between particles and photons. Different types of plasma have varying densities, temperatures, and compositions, which can affect the rate and efficiency of energy transfer. For example, a high-density plasma may have more collisions between particles, leading to more efficient energy transfer, while a low-density plasma may have fewer collisions and rely more on non-collisional energy transfer.

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