Insights Blog
-- Browse All Articles --
Physics Articles
Physics Tutorials
Physics Guides
Physics FAQ
Math Articles
Math Tutorials
Math Guides
Math FAQ
Education Articles
Education Guides
Bio/Chem Articles
Technology Guides
Computer Science Tutorials
Forums
Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
Quantum Interpretations
Special and General Relativity
Atomic and Condensed Matter
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Beyond the Standard Model
Cosmology
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Other Physics Topics
Trending
Featured Threads
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
Quantum Interpretations
Special and General Relativity
Atomic and Condensed Matter
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Beyond the Standard Model
Cosmology
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Other Physics Topics
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
Physics
Quantum Physics
What is the effect of ionization at low densities?
Reply to thread
Message
[QUOTE="TeethWhitener, post: 6089856, member: 511972"] I think he’s probably referring to the somewhat surprising fact that the statistical mechanical partition function of the hydrogen atom is divergent, which implies that you’ll never find a proton bound to an electron. The reason is a little contrived: in an infinite universe with only one proton and one electron, there is essentially no chance that the proton or electron will ever interact; in other words, entropy wins (there are far more states where the proton and electron are unbound than states where they are bound). However, the divergence of the partition function is extraordinarily slow: even putting a proton and an electron into an empty box the size of the observable universe—not infinite but ridiculously big—predicts that the two will be bound. Edit: here’s a paper with more info: [URL]https://www-liphy.ujf-grenoble.fr/pagesperso/bahram/Phys_Stat/Biblio/Miranda_Hydrogen_2001.pdf[/URL] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Post reply
Forums
Physics
Quantum Physics
What is the effect of ionization at low densities?
Back
Top