# If you know anything about Solid State this should be trivial.

1. Apr 28, 2007

### WolfOfTheSteps

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

The specific heat of metals is dominated by the electronic contribution at low temperatures, and by phonons at high temperatures. At what temperature are the two contributions equal in rubidium? Note that
$$\gamma=2.41\frac{mJ}{mole K^2}$$
for rubidium. Briefly describe your thinking.

3. The attempt at a solution

Just a quick question: What the heck is gamma ($\gamma$)?? It looks like some mutation of specific heat with moles and the kelvin squared! The chapter I am working on never mentions this variable!

If anyone knows, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

2. Apr 29, 2007

### WolfOfTheSteps

After a lot of creative googling, I finally found out that this seems to be called the "electronic-specific heat coefficient."

I inferred this from highly technical articles that I have no idea how to understand. Does anyone know what this coefficient is, and how I might use it?

I guess this is not trivial. :yuck:

3. Apr 29, 2007

### Flux = Rad

This is from Kittel's Intro to Solid State Physics:

At temperatures much below both the Debye temperature $$\theta$$ and the fermi temperature $$T_F$$, the heat capacity of metals may be written as the sum of electron and phonon contributions:

$$C = \gamma T + AT^3$$

So that explains your gamma. Now you just have to set the two terms equal and solve for T. Presumably you have an expression for the heat capacity of phonons in your chapter?

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