What Is the Temperature of Each Block Before They Are Brought into Contact?

In summary, the conversation discusses the problem of finding the temperature of two blocks of Einstein oscillators before and after they are brought into contact and reach thermal equilibrium. The first block has N1 oscillators of frequency omega and the second block has N2 oscillators of frequency 2omega. Both blocks have a large number of oscillators and a large amount of energy, and the goal is to calculate their temperature using equations for internal energy and entropy. The final question is how to find the temperature of the blocks at equilibrium.
  • #1
tysonk
33
0
I'm kind of stuck on this problem, if someone could help me out that would be appreciated.

Consider 2 blocks treated as collections of Einstein oscillators. The first block has N1 oscillators of frequency omega. The second block has N2 oscillators of frequency 2omega. Initially the first block has a total energy E1 and the second has a total energy E2. Both N1 and N2 are very large, of order Avagadro's number. E1/(ℏ omega ) and E2/(ℏ omega ) are also very large. The blocks are brought into contact and reach thermal equilibrium without any energy escaping to the environment.
  • What is the temperature of each block before they are brought into contact?
  • What is the common temperature after they reach thermal equilibrium?

Thank you.
 
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  • #2
For einstein solid,

1/T = dS/dE

Where E is internal energy and S is entropy. I can find relevant equations for E and S. But how do I calculate dS and dE?
Still not sure how to find their temp when in contact at equilibrium.
 

FAQ: What Is the Temperature of Each Block Before They Are Brought into Contact?

1. What is statistical mechanics?

Statistical mechanics is a branch of physics that uses statistical methods to explain the behavior of a large number of particles. It aims to understand the macroscopic properties of a system by studying the microscopic behavior of its individual components.

2. What is the difference between statistical mechanics and thermodynamics?

Thermodynamics deals with macroscopic properties of a system, such as temperature and pressure, and their relationships. Statistical mechanics, on the other hand, focuses on the microscopic behavior of individual particles and how it leads to the macroscopic properties of a system.

3. What are the basic principles of statistical mechanics?

The basic principles of statistical mechanics are the laws of thermodynamics, the concept of microstates and macrostates, and the principle of equal a priori probabilities. These principles are used to calculate the probability of a given macrostate occurring in a system.

4. How is statistical mechanics applied in real-world problems?

Statistical mechanics has various applications, such as studying the behavior of gases, liquids, and solids, understanding phase transitions, and predicting the thermodynamic properties of materials at different temperatures and pressures. It is also used in fields like chemistry, biology, and engineering to model complex systems.

5. What are some common challenges in solving statistical mechanics problems?

Some common challenges in solving statistical mechanics problems include dealing with large numbers of particles, complicated interactions between particles, and accounting for quantum effects. Additionally, calculating the probability of a given macrostate can be a difficult and time-consuming task, especially for complex systems.

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