Statistical Operator: Explaining Temperature in Physics

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of statistical operators in statistical physics, particularly in relation to temperature. The operator is defined as ##\hat{\rho}=\frac{1}{Z}e^{-\beta \hat{H}}##, where ##\beta=\frac{1}{k_BT}##, linking temperature directly to the statistical operator. An alternative representation is provided as ##\hat{\rho}=\sum_i w_i|\psi_i\rangle \langle \psi_i|##, which does not explicitly mention temperature but is equivalent to the first definition. The probability of being in state i, denoted as w_i, is derived from the first definition, confirming the two representations are fundamentally the same.

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LagrangeEuler
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I have a question about statistical operator. In statistical physics you deal with temperature. So for example ##\hat{\rho}=\frac{1}{Z}e^{-\beta \hat{H}}## where ##\beta=\frac{1}{k_BT}##. In definition there is temperature. And also equivalent definition is
##\hat{\rho}=\sum_i w_i|\psi_i\rangle \langle \psi_i|## where in definition isn't temperature. I'm confused about this. Can you give me some explanation?
 
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Both your definitions are the same, the second is just the general expansion of a one-body operator. w_i is the probability of being in state i, given by \langle\psi_i| \tfrac{1}{Z} e^{-\beta \hat{H}} |\psi_i\rangle. It's the same as the first definition.
 

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