Integral of Maxwell-Boltzmann dist.

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In summary, the conversation discusses a question about calculating an integral involving the derivative of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. The person asking the question wonders if there is a trick to solving it, since they have only been able to find a solution for integer powers. Another person suggests substituting ##\epsilon=u^2## to simplify the problem.
  • #1
Denver Dang
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Homework Statement


I was wondering if there is some sort of trick to calculate the following:
[tex]\int{-{{e}^{-\varepsilon /{{k}_{B}}T}}}{{\varepsilon }^{3/2}}d\varepsilon \,[/tex]
It's the derivative of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, excluding the constants, times an energy in the power of (3/2).


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I've found the solution from 0 to infinity if the energy was powered in n (n being an integer), but I haven't been able to find anything when it's a half-integer.

So is there some sort of trick to do this, or...?


Thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
Denver Dang said:

Homework Statement


I was wondering if there is some sort of trick to calculate the following:
[tex]\int{-{{e}^{-\varepsilon /{{k}_{B}}T}}}{{\varepsilon }^{3/2}}d\varepsilon \,[/tex]
It's the derivative of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, excluding the constants, times an energy in the power of (3/2).


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I've found the solution from 0 to infinity if the energy was powered in n (n being an integer), but I haven't been able to find anything when it's a half-integer.

So is there some sort of trick to do this, or...?


Thanks in advance.

Since integer powers are nicer why not substitute ##\epsilon=u^2##? Now you've got a gaussian times an integer power of u. That's a pretty well known problem.
 
  • #3
Ahhh yes, that should work. Don't know why I didn't think of that :/

Thank you :)
 

FAQ: Integral of Maxwell-Boltzmann dist.

1. What is the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution?

The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is a probability distribution that describes the speed of particles in a gas at a given temperature. It is a key concept in statistical physics and is used to understand the behavior of gas molecules.

2. What is the relationship between the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution and the integral of the distribution?

The integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution over all possible speeds gives the total probability of a particle having any speed. This integral is used to calculate various thermodynamic quantities, such as the average speed and average kinetic energy of the particles in a gas.

3. How is the integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution related to the Boltzmann factor?

The integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is directly related to the Boltzmann factor, which is the ratio of the probability of a particle having a certain speed to the probability of it having zero speed. This factor is used in the calculation of the partition function, which is crucial in determining the thermodynamic properties of a system.

4. What are the limits of the integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution?

The limits of the integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution are from 0 to infinity, as the speed of a particle can theoretically range from 0 to infinity. However, in practice, the integral is often limited to a certain range of speeds that are relevant for a particular system or experiment.

5. How is the integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution affected by temperature?

The integral of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is directly proportional to temperature. As temperature increases, the distribution shifts towards higher speeds, resulting in a larger integral value. This is because at higher temperatures, particles have a higher average speed and are more likely to have speeds closer to the maximum value allowed by the distribution.

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