What is the meaning of non-degenerate in statistical mechanics?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The term "non-degenerate" refers to classical gases where particles do not exhibit quantum behavior, while "degenerate" describes quantum gases where the Pauli Exclusion Principle significantly influences particle interactions. In degenerate gases, such as electron gases, identical fermions cannot occupy the same quantum state, leading to pressure that arises from this exclusion. This distinction is crucial in understanding the behavior of different types of gases in statistical mechanics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Pauli Exclusion Principle
  • Familiarity with classical and quantum gases
  • Basic knowledge of statistical mechanics
  • Concept of fermions and bosons
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of the Pauli Exclusion Principle in quantum mechanics
  • Explore the properties of degenerate matter in astrophysics
  • Study the differences between fermions and bosons in quantum statistics
  • Learn about the applications of statistical mechanics in thermodynamics
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, researchers in statistical mechanics, and anyone interested in the behavior of gases under quantum and classical conditions.

ck00
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
why do we say that a classically behaved gas is non-degenerate and a quantum behaved gas is degenerate?
I can't get why the word of "degeneracy" here can distinguish two kinds of behavior of gas.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
does anyone know it?
 
http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/qmech/lectures/node65.html

This website is a great resource for physics students (like me). Here, he basically shows that we call matter "degenerate" if the Pauli Exclusion Principle is the main source of the pressure of the matter. Two identical fermions, such as electrons, can't be in the same quantum state at the same time. If this resistance to being in the same state is the main thing keeping the electrons apart, then the electron gas is behaving like a degenerate gas.
 
I completely disagree with nucl34rgg btw since a gas of bosons (which obviously doesn’t fallow the Pauli exclusion principle) can be degenerate. I advise you to check out the Degenerate Matter page on Wikipedia.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
1K