Undergrad Microstate, Macrostate, Probability

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pushoam
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Probability
Click For Summary
A system of two coins has four equally probable microstates, but the macrostate with one head and one tail is the most likely due to having the maximum number of corresponding microstates. There are three distinct macrostates: 2 heads, 1 head and 1 tail, and 2 tails. The macrostate with one head and one tail has two microstates associated with it, making it the most probable outcome. While all microstates are equally probable, macrostates are not. This understanding of the relationship between microstates and macrostates is confirmed as correct.
Pushoam
Messages
961
Reaction score
53
upload_2017-10-3_16-5-21.png


If I consider a system of only two coins, then there are four microstates, each equally probable.
But the probability that the system will have one head and one tail is the most.
Describing the system by its all possible configurations is describing it in terms of its microstates.
Here, the microstates does't correspond to a given macrostate.
There are three macrostates: 1) 2H 2)1H and 1 T 3) 2T.
The microstates ( each of these is equally probable) corresponding to the macrostate 1H and 1T is maximum i.e.2. Hence, this macrostate is more probable.

Hence, the microstates whether it belong to a given macrostate or not are always equally probable.
But macrostates are not always equally probable.

Is my understanding correct?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Pushoam said:
Is my understanding correct?
Yes.
 
Thank you.
 
I do not have a good working knowledge of physics yet. I tried to piece this together but after researching this, I couldn’t figure out the correct laws of physics to combine to develop a formula to answer this question. Ex. 1 - A moving object impacts a static object at a constant velocity. Ex. 2 - A moving object impacts a static object at the same velocity but is accelerating at the moment of impact. Assuming the mass of the objects is the same and the velocity at the moment of impact...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
39
Views
6K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Replies
12
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
5K