un:bose-einstein-statistics
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| un:bose-einstein-statistics [2025/11/30 07:33] – [Bose–Einstein occupation curves] asad | un:bose-einstein-statistics [2025/11/30 07:37] (current) – asad | ||
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| - | Here the factor of 2 accounts for two photon polarization states. For massive bosons, this factor is replaced by the appropriate spin degeneracy. This function expresses a key difference between classical and quantum statistics: the denominator can become small, allowing | + | Here the factor of 2 accounts for two photon polarization states. For massive bosons this factor is replaced by the appropriate spin degeneracy |
| - | For photons, the variable \( \nu \) labels frequency, and this same distribution underlies the Planck spectrum of [[Blackbody radiation]]. For massive bosons, the energy is instead \( \epsilon = p^{2}/2m \), but the statistical form is identical: | + | For photons, the variable \( \nu \) labels frequency, and this same distribution underlies the Planck spectrum of [[Blackbody radiation]]. For massive bosons, the energy is instead \( \epsilon = p^{2}/(2m) \), but the statistical form is identical: |
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| - | f = \frac{g}{h^{3}} \frac{1}{e^{(\epsilon-\mu)/ | + | f = \frac{g}{h^{3}} |
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| - | with \( g \) the spin degeneracy. | + | The form of \( f \) therefore unifies the physics of blackbody photons and ideal Bose gases. |
| ===== Mean occupation of quantum states ===== | ===== Mean occupation of quantum states ===== | ||
| - | The phase-space distribution function determines the **mean number of bosons occupying each single-particle quantum state**. Integrating \(f\) over a cell associated with the state \(i\) leads directly | + | The phase-space distribution function determines the mean number of bosons occupying each single-particle quantum state. Integrating \( f \) over a phase-space |
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| - | \bar{n}_i = \frac{1}{\exp\!\left(\frac{\epsilon_i - \mu}{kT}\right) | + | \bar{n}_i = \frac{1}{e^{(\epsilon_i - \mu)/(kT)} - 1}. |
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| - | This quantity plays the same role for massive bosons that the photon distribution function plays for radiation. Summing over all states, | + | This quantity plays the same role for massive bosons that the photon distribution function plays for radiation. Summing over all states |
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| - | In the continuum limit with density of states \(g(\epsilon)\), | + | In the continuum limit with density of states \( g(\epsilon) \), |
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| n = \frac{N}{V} | n = \frac{N}{V} | ||
| - | = \int_0^\infty \frac{g(\epsilon)}{\exp[(\epsilon-\mu)/ | + | = \int_0^\infty \frac{g(\epsilon)}{e^{(\epsilon-\mu)/ |
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| - | the Bose–Einstein distribution reduces to the Maxwell–Boltzmann form, | + | the Bose–Einstein distribution reduces to the Maxwell–Boltzmann form |
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| - | \bar{n}_i \approx | + | \bar{n}_i \approx |
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| - | f \approx \frac{g}{h^{3}} e^{-(\epsilon-\mu)/ | + | f \approx \frac{g}{h^{3}} |
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| - | Quantum statistical effects appear when the thermal de Broglie wavelength, | + | Quantum statistical effects appear when the thermal de Broglie wavelength |
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| \lambda_{\mathrm{th}} | \lambda_{\mathrm{th}} | ||
| - | = \sqrt{\frac{2\pi\hbar^{2}}{m kT}}, | + | = \sqrt{\frac{2\pi\hbar^{2}}{m kT}} |
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| - | n\lambda_{\mathrm{th}}^{3} \gtrsim 1. | + | n \lambda_{\mathrm{th}}^{3} \gtrsim 1. |
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| ===== Bose–Einstein condensation ===== | ===== Bose–Einstein condensation ===== | ||
| - | For a uniform ideal Bose gas, the chemical potential satisfies \( \mu \le \epsilon_{0} \). As the gas is cooled at fixed density, \( \mu \rightarrow | + | For a uniform ideal Bose gas, the chemical potential satisfies \( \mu \le \epsilon_{0} \). As the gas is cooled at fixed density, \( \mu \to \epsilon_{0} \), and the excited states are no longer capable of holding all particles. The excess particles accumulate in the ground state, producing macroscopic occupation, |
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| - | \bar{n}_{0} \rightarrow \text{large}. | + | \bar{n}_{0} \gg 1. |
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| - | This is **Bose–Einstein condensation**, a striking manifestation of the Bose–Einstein distribution function. The condensation phenomenon is therefore the direct consequence of the form of \(f\) and the associated occupation numbers \(\bar{n}_i\): | + | This is Bose–Einstein condensation, |
| In contrast, for photons the chemical potential is fixed to zero, and instead of condensing, photons redistribute themselves to form the blackbody spectrum. | In contrast, for photons the chemical potential is fixed to zero, and instead of condensing, photons redistribute themselves to form the blackbody spectrum. | ||
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| ===== Bose–Einstein occupation curves ===== | ===== Bose–Einstein occupation curves ===== | ||
| - | To analyze how the Bose–Einstein distribution behaves, it is useful to define dimensionless variables, | + | To analyze how the Bose–Einstein distribution behaves, it is useful to define dimensionless variables |
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| - | Small \(a\) (i.e., large \( \mu \)) enhances the low-energy peak of the distribution. The special case \(a=0\) corresponds exactly to the photon distribution function | + | Small \( a \) (that is, large \( \mu \)) enhances the low-energy peak of the distribution. The special case \( a = 0 \) corresponds exactly to the photon distribution function |
| < | < | ||
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| }; | }; | ||
| - | // Axis labels with NO MathJax | + | // Axis labels with no MathJax |
| const layout_be = { | const layout_be = { | ||
| margin: {l: 95, r: 20, t: 10, b: 60}, | margin: {l: 95, r: 20, t: 10, b: 60}, | ||
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| * Large low-energy occupation arises because the denominator may become small as \( \mu \to \epsilon_{0} \). | * Large low-energy occupation arises because the denominator may become small as \( \mu \to \epsilon_{0} \). | ||
| * Classical statistics emerges only when \( e^{(\epsilon-\mu)/ | * Classical statistics emerges only when \( e^{(\epsilon-\mu)/ | ||
| - | * Quantum degeneracy appears when \( n\lambda_{\mathrm{th}}^{3} \gtrsim 1 \), forcing the use of Bose–Einstein statistics. | + | * Quantum degeneracy appears when \( n \lambda_{\mathrm{th}}^{3} \gtrsim 1 \), forcing the use of Bose–Einstein statistics. |
| * Bose–Einstein condensation results directly from the inability of excited states to hold all particles as \( \mu \to \epsilon_0 \). | * Bose–Einstein condensation results directly from the inability of excited states to hold all particles as \( \mu \to \epsilon_0 \). | ||
| * For photons, the condition \( \mu = 0 \) transforms the Bose–Einstein distribution into the Planck spectrum of blackbody radiation. | * For photons, the condition \( \mu = 0 \) transforms the Bose–Einstein distribution into the Planck spectrum of blackbody radiation. | ||
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| ===== Inquiries ===== | ===== Inquiries ===== | ||
| * Derive the phase-space distribution \( f = g h^{-3} [e^{(\epsilon-\mu)/ | * Derive the phase-space distribution \( f = g h^{-3} [e^{(\epsilon-\mu)/ | ||
| - | * Show how the occupation number \( \bar{n}_i \) emerges from integrating \(f\) over a state’s phase-space cell. | + | * Show how the occupation number \( \bar{n}_i \) emerges from integrating \( f \) over a state’s phase-space cell. |
| * Demonstrate explicitly how the Maxwell–Boltzmann limit arises from the Bose–Einstein distribution. | * Demonstrate explicitly how the Maxwell–Boltzmann limit arises from the Bose–Einstein distribution. | ||
| - | * Using \( n\lambda_{\mathrm{th}}^{3} \sim 1 \), estimate the temperature at which a dilute Bose gas becomes quantum degenerate. | + | * Using \( n \lambda_{\mathrm{th}}^{3} \sim 1 \), estimate the temperature at which a dilute Bose gas becomes quantum degenerate. |
| - | * Explain how varying \(a=-\mu/ | + | * Explain how varying \( a = -\mu/(kT) \) alters the shape of the occupation curves in the interactive figure. |
un/bose-einstein-statistics.1764513225.txt.gz · Last modified: by asad
