Calculating the Limit of an Einstein Solid Specific Heat

In summary, the limit for the specific heat of an Einstein solid is found to be 3Nk\frac{y^2 e^y}{(e^y - 1)^2} when y approaches 0. L'Hôpital's rule is used to find this limit.
  • #1
Amok
256
2
So, I can't really find this limit:

[tex]\lim_{T \to \infty} \ 3Nk {(\epsilon/kT)}^2 \frac{e^{(\epsilon/kT)}}{{(e^{(\epsilon/kT)}-1)}^2} [/tex]

This is actually the formula for the specific heat of an Einstein solid, which is pretty easy to derive but I haven't been able to calculate the limit to show it becomes Dulong-Petit at hight temperatures. Maybe I've been missing something simple... I don't see how you could use l'Hopital's rule.

note: I wasn't sure whether I should post this in one of the physics forums, but I figured it's more of a calculus problem at this point.
 
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  • #2
I think you can use L'Hôpital's rule. First of all, I made the change of variables
[tex]
y = \frac{\epsilon}{kT}
[/tex]
so that [itex] y \to 0 [/itex] as [itex] T \to \infty [/itex]. This yields
[tex]
\lim_{y \to 0} 3Nk\frac{y^2 e^y}{(e^y - 1)^2}
[/tex]
which is of the form [itex] \frac{0}{0} [/itex]. Using L'Hôpital's rule, this equals
[tex]
\lim_{y \to 0} 3Nk \frac{2y e^y + y^2 e^y}{2(e^y -1)e^y} = 3Nk \lim_{y \to 0} \frac{2y + y^2}{2e^y -2}
[/tex]
which is once again of the form [itex] \frac{0}{0} [/itex]. Applying LH again, we get
[tex]
3Nk \lim_{y \to 0} \frac{2 + 2y}{2 e^y} = 3Nk \lim_{y \to 0} \frac{y +1}{e^y} = 3Nk \frac{0 +1}{1} = 3Nk
[/tex]

I hope this helps: hopefully I didn't make any mistakes!
 
  • #3
spamiam said:
I think you can use L'Hôpital's rule. First of all, I made the change of variables
[tex]
y = \frac{\epsilon}{kT}
[/tex]
so that [itex] y \to 0 [/itex] as [itex] T \to \infty [/itex]. This yields
[tex]
\lim_{y \to 0} 3Nk\frac{y^2 e^y}{(e^y - 1)^2}
[/tex]
which is of the form [itex] \frac{0}{0} [/itex]. Using L'Hôpital's rule, this equals
[tex]
\lim_{y \to 0} 3Nk \frac{2y e^y + y^2 e^y}{2(e^y -1)e^y} = 3Nk \lim_{y \to 0} \frac{2y + y^2}{2e^y -2}
[/tex]
which is once again of the form [itex] \frac{0}{0} [/itex]. Applying LH again, we get
[tex]
3Nk \lim_{y \to 0} \frac{2 + 2y}{2 e^y} = 3Nk \lim_{y \to 0} \frac{y +1}{e^y} = 3Nk \frac{0 +1}{1} = 3Nk
[/tex]

I hope this helps: hopefully I didn't make any mistakes!

That makes perfect sense. For some reason I forgot that there is also an inverse exponential in the numerator (I was thinking it was just an exponential). Thanks a bunch dude.
 

1. What is an Einstein Solid?

An Einstein Solid is a theoretical model used in statistical mechanics to describe the behavior of a solid at a microscopic level. It consists of a fixed number of particles (atoms or molecules) that are confined to a lattice structure and can only vibrate in place.

2. What is the specific heat of an Einstein Solid?

The specific heat of an Einstein Solid is a measure of the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of the solid by one degree. It is represented by the symbol Cv and is dependent on the number of particles in the solid, the frequency of their vibrations, and the temperature.

3. How is the limit of an Einstein Solid specific heat calculated?

The limit of an Einstein Solid specific heat is calculated using the formula Cv = 3Nk, where N is the number of particles in the solid and k is the Boltzmann constant. This formula assumes that the solid is at high temperatures and that the particles are in thermal equilibrium with their surroundings.

4. What is the significance of calculating the limit of an Einstein Solid specific heat?

The limit of an Einstein Solid specific heat is significant because it helps to validate the laws of thermodynamics and provides insight into the behavior of solids at high temperatures. It also serves as a baseline for comparing the specific heat of real solids and can be used to study phase transitions and other thermodynamic phenomena.

5. Are there any limitations to using the Einstein Solid model for calculating specific heat?

Yes, there are limitations to using the Einstein Solid model. It assumes that the particles in the solid are non-interacting, which is not the case in real solids. It also does not take into account the effects of quantum mechanics, which become significant at low temperatures. Therefore, the model is only applicable at high temperatures and cannot fully describe the behavior of real solids.

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