Skip to main content
Library homepage
 

Text Color

Text Size

 

Margin Size

 

Font Type

Enable Dyslexic Font
Physics LibreTexts

4.3: Thermal Equilibrium

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)




























































































































































































































































































































\( \newcommand\Dalpha

ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[1], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dbeta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[2], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dgamma
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[3], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Ddelta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[4], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Depsilon
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[5], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dvarepsilon
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[6], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dzeta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[7], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Deta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[8], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dtheta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[9], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dvartheta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[10], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Diota
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[11], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dkappa
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[12], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Dlambda
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[13], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)





\( \newcommand\Dvarpi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[14], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)











\( \newcommand\DGamma
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[15], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\DDelta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[16], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\DTheta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[17], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)









































































\( \newcommand\Vmu
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[18], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vnu
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[19], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vxi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[20], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vom
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[21], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vpi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[22], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vvarpi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[23], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vrho
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[24], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vvarrho
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[25], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vsigma
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[26], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vvarsigma
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[27], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vtau
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[28], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vupsilon
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[29], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vphi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[30], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vvarphi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[31], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vchi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[32], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vpsi
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[33], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\Vomega
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[34], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\VGamma
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[35], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)
\( \newcommand\VDelta
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/p[1]/span[36], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)

















\newcommand\BI{\mib I}}










































\)










































































\newcommand { M}

























\newcommand { m}














































}


















\( \newcommand\tcb{\textcolor{blue}\)
\( \newcommand\tcr{\textcolor{red}\)



































1$#1_$






















































































\newcommand\SZ{\textsf Z}} \( \newcommand\kFd{k\ns_{\RF\dar}\)

\newcommand\mutB{\tilde\mu}\ns_\ssr{B}



\( \newcommand\xhihOZ
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/span[1], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)



\( \newcommand\labar
ParseError: invalid DekiScript (click for details)
Callstack:
    at (Template:MathJaxArovas), /content/body/div/span[2], line 1, column 1
    at template()
    at (Bookshelves/Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics/Book:_Thermodynamics_and_Statistical_Mechanics_(Arovas)/04:_Statistical_Ensembles/4.03:_Thermal_Equilibrium), /content/body/p/span, line 1, column 23
\)





















Two Systems in Thermal Contact

Consider two systems in thermal contact, as depicted in Figure 4.3.1. The two subsystems #1 and #2 are free to exchange energy, but their respective volumes and particle numbers remain fixed. We assume the contact is made over a surface, and that the energy associated with that surface is negligible when compared with the bulk energies E1 and E2. Let the total energy be E=E1+E2. Then the density of states D(E) for the combined system is

D(E)=dE1D1(E1)D2(EE1) .

The probability density for system #1 to have energy E1 is then

P1(E1)=D1(E1)D2(EE1)D(E) .

Note that P1(E1) is normalized: dE1P1(E1)=1. We now ask: what is the most probable value of E1? We find out by differentiating P1(E1) with respect to E1 and setting the result to zero. This requires

0=1P1(E1)dP1(E1)dE1=E1lnP1(E1)=E1lnD1(E1)+E1lnD2(EE1) .

We conclude that the maximally likely partition of energy between systems #1 and #2 is realized when

S1E1=S2E2 .

This guarantees that

S(E,E1)=S1(E1)+S2(EE1)

is a maximum with respect to the energy E1, at fixed total energy E.

Two systems in thermal contact.
Figure 4.3.1: Two systems in thermal contact.

The temperature T is defined as

1T=(SE)V,N ,

a result familiar from thermodynamics. The difference is now we have a more rigorous definition of the entropy. When the total entropy S is maximized, we have that T1=T2. Once again, two systems in thermal contact and can exchange energy will in equilibrium have equal temperatures.

According to Equations \ref{phinrel} and \ref{phiurel}, the entropies of nonrelativistic and ultrarelativistic ideal gases in d space dimensions are given by

SNR=12NdkBln(EN)+NkBln(VN)+const.SUR=NdkBln(EN)+NkBln(VN)+const. .

Invoking Equation ???, we then have

ENR=12NdkBT,EUR=NdkBT .

We saw that the probability distribution P1(E1) is maximized when T1=T2, but how sharp is the peak in the distribution? Let us write E1=E1+ΔE1, where E1 is the solution to Equation ???. We then have

lnP1(E1+ΔE1)=lnP1(E1)+12kB2S1E21|E1(ΔE1)2+12kB2S2E22|E2(ΔE1)2+ ,

where E2=EE1. We must now evaluate

2SE2=E(1T)=1T2(TE)V,N=1T2CV ,

where CV=(E/T)V,N is the heat capacity. Thus,

P1=P1e(ΔE1)2/2kBT2ˉCV ,

where

ˉCV=CV,1CV,2CV,1+CV,2 .

The distribution is therefore a Gaussian, and the fluctuations in ΔE1 can now be computed:

(ΔE1)2=kBT2ˉCV(ΔE1)RMS=kBTˉCV/kB .

The individual heat capacities CV,1 and CV,2 scale with the volumes V1 and V2, respectively. If V2V1, then CV,2CV,1, in which case ˉCVCV,1. Therefore the RMS fluctuations in ΔE1 are proportional to the square root of the system size, whereas E1 itself is extensive. Thus, the ratio (ΔE1)RMS/E1V1/2 scales as the inverse square root of the volume. The distribution P1(E1) is thus extremely sharp.

Thermal, mechanical and chemical equilibrium

We have dS|V,N=1TdE , but in general S=S(E,V,N). Equivalently, we may write E=E(S,V,N). The full differential of E(S,V,N) is then dE=TdSpdV+μdN, with T=(ES)V,N and p=(EV)S,N and μ=(EN)S,V. As we shall discuss in more detail, p is the pressure and μ is the chemical potential. We may thus write the total differential dS as

dS=1TdE+pTdVμTdN.

Employing the same reasoning as in the previous section, we conclude that entropy maximization for two systems in contact requires the following:

  • If two systems can exchange energy, then T1=T2. This is thermal equilibrium.
  • If two systems can exchange volume, then p1/T1=p2/T2. This is mechanical equilibrium.
  • If two systems can exchange particle number, then μ1/T1=μ2/T2. This is chemical equilibrium.

Gibbs-Duhem Relation

The energy E(S,V,N) is an extensive function of extensive variables, it is homogeneous of degree one in its arguments. Therefore E(λS,λV,λN)=λE, and taking the derivative with respect to λ yields

E=S(ES)V,N+V(EV)S,N+N(EN)S,V=TSpV+μN.

Taking the differential of each side, using the Leibniz rule on the RHS, and plugging in dE=TdSpdV+μdN, we arrive at the Gibbs-Duhem relation5,

SdTVdp+Ndμ=0.

This, in turn, says that any one of the intensive quantities (T,p,μ) can be written as a function of the other two, in the case of a single component system.


This page titled 4.3: Thermal Equilibrium is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Daniel Arovas.

Support Center

How can we help?