- #1
cdot
- 45
- 0
Fundamental assumtption:
"a closed system is equally likely to be in any of its g accessible micro- states, and all accessible micro- states are assumed to be equally probable."
There's just a few things I don't understand about this,
1. Isn't saying that a closed system is equally likely to be in any of it's g accesible micro-states the exact same thing as saying that all accesible micro-states are equally probable? Why say both? Isn't that redundant?
2. Am I to assume that this definition applies only to closed systems in equlibrium throughout the system itself? For example, at a given total energy, volume, and number of particles, common sense says that a microstate corresponding to most of the energy of the molecules in this room being concentrated in some corner is NOT just as likely as the energy being distributed evenely. But according to the fundamental assumption, as long as the properties of the system are compatible with the system parameters then the micro-state is accesible and equally probable. So even if all the energy of the molecules in a room were concentrated in one corner, as long as the TOTAL energy, volume, and number of particles were compatible with system parameters, then this state is accesible (but it should not be equally probable?).
"a closed system is equally likely to be in any of its g accessible micro- states, and all accessible micro- states are assumed to be equally probable."
There's just a few things I don't understand about this,
1. Isn't saying that a closed system is equally likely to be in any of it's g accesible micro-states the exact same thing as saying that all accesible micro-states are equally probable? Why say both? Isn't that redundant?
2. Am I to assume that this definition applies only to closed systems in equlibrium throughout the system itself? For example, at a given total energy, volume, and number of particles, common sense says that a microstate corresponding to most of the energy of the molecules in this room being concentrated in some corner is NOT just as likely as the energy being distributed evenely. But according to the fundamental assumption, as long as the properties of the system are compatible with the system parameters then the micro-state is accesible and equally probable. So even if all the energy of the molecules in a room were concentrated in one corner, as long as the TOTAL energy, volume, and number of particles were compatible with system parameters, then this state is accesible (but it should not be equally probable?).