UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE

SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MINERAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

DEGREE AND DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENTARY/AEGROTAT EXAMINATIONS MAY/JUNE: 2023

MODULE: SPHB031 PAPER: P

(THERMODYNAMICS AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS)

TIME: 3 HOURS MARKS: 100

INTERNAL EXAMINER: DR OO NUBI

SECOND EXAMINER: DR MA MAHLADISA

EXTERNAL EXAMINER: DR. M TIBANE

(UNISA)

THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF …5…PAGES INCLUDING COVER PAGE

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Answer all questions. Number your answers correctly.

2. Any physical principle on which any answer is based must be clearly stated to earn full marks
for that answer.
3. Where mathematical answers are required, the working must be clearly shown.
4. Clearly drawn diagrams must be provided (except where not relevant) to earn full marks
5. Unless otherwise stated, all symbols retain their usual meanings.
6. Marks obtainable are indicated in square brackets.
7. A table of constants, list of definite integrals, conversion factors and formulae are included on
the last page.
8. Write neatly and legibly.
 SPHB031 SUPPLEMENTARY/AEGROTAT EXAMINATIONS 2023

QUESTION 1 (Exact Differentials, 10 Marks)

(a) The infinitesimal volume changes along any path between two arbitrary states of a given system
is an exact differential. Compile some implications of this assertion. [4]
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
(b) Derive the Maxwell relation �𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕� = − �𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � by applying the condition for exactness to the
𝑆𝑆 𝑉𝑉

thermodynamic potential U: 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝑇𝑇 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 − 𝑃𝑃 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑. [6]

QUESTION 2 (The Carnot Cycle/Heat Engine, 20 Marks)

(a) Sketch the P-v curve of a Carnot cycle for an ideal gas. [4]
(b) Sketch the T-S curve of a Carnot Cycle. [4]
(c) Sketch the flow diagram of a very badly designed (inefficient) heat engine. [4]
(d) Explain the significant features of a Carnot cycle. [4]
(e) Calculate the efficiency of a steam engine, having an input temperature of 177oC, but operating
at a room temperature of 27oC. [4]

QUESTION 3 (Thermodynamic Process, 15 Marks)

An ideal gas is contained in a large jar of volume 𝑉𝑉0. Fitted to the jar is a glass tube of cross-sectional
area 𝐴𝐴 in which a metal ball of mass 𝑀𝑀 fits snugly (Figure 1). The equilibrium pressure in the jar is
slightly higher than atmospheric pressure 𝑝𝑝0 because of the weight of the ball. If the ball is displaced
slightly from equilibrium it will execute simple harmonic motion (neglecting friction). If the states of the
gas represent a quasistatic adiabatic process and 𝛾𝛾 is the ratio of specific heats, find a relation
between the oscillation frequency 𝑓𝑓 and the variables of the problem. [15]

Figure 1

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 SPHB031 SUPPLEMENTARY/AEGROTAT EXAMINATIONS 2023

QUESTION 4 (Thermodynamic Process, 10 Marks)

5
An ideal gas for which 𝑐𝑐𝑉𝑉 = 2 𝑅𝑅 is taken from an initial point a to a final point b along paths a-c-b, a-d-

b, and a-b, is shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1
The specific heat at constant volume of the gas is given by 5R/2.
Examine the graph carefully.
(a) Give an explanation why the heat supplied to the gas, per mole, in each of the three processes,
are different. [2]
(b) If P2 = 3P1 and v2 = 3v1, compute the work done on the gas, per mole, for the a-b process.
(Express your answer in terms of R and T1.) [8]

QUESTION 5 (Entropy Changes, 25 Marks)

The statistical interpretation of entropy can be determined by arriving at the connecting link between
statistical and classical thermodynamics.

“From a statistical point of view, the entropy of a system consisting of a very large number of particles
is proportional to the natural logarithm of the total number of microstates available to the system.”

In your own way, prove that the only function that satisfies the condition that entropies are additive
while thermodynamic probabilities are multiplicative is the logarithm. (That is, show that 𝑆𝑆 = 𝑘𝑘𝐵𝐵 ln Ω.)
[25]

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 SPHB031 SUPPLEMENTARY/AEGROTAT EXAMINATIONS 2023

QUESTION 6 (Statistical Distributions, 20 Marks)

(a) Construct a distribution diagram that displays the possible macrostates of an assembly of 5 particles
having a total energy of 𝑈𝑈 = 5𝜖𝜖, and obeying B-E statistics. All levels are equally-spaced and are
3-fold degenerate. [16]
Make sure you calculate, and indicate on your diagram the following
(i) the multiplicities of each macrostate
(ii) the average occupation number of each level
(iii) The thermodynamic probability of the entire assembly
(b) Identify which macrostates in (a) are forbidden (or not allowed) if the particles in the assembly
obeyed F-D statistics instead of B-E. [4]

==END OF QUESTIONS==

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 SPHB031 SUPPLEMENTARY/AEGROTAT EXAMINATIONS 2023

TABLE OF CONSTANTS, CONVERSION FACTORS, FORMULAE, DEFINITE INTEGRALS…

Permittivity of free space 𝜖𝜖𝑜𝑜 = 8.854 x 10-12 farad/m
Permeability of free space 𝜇𝜇𝑜𝑜 = 4 𝜋𝜋 x 10-7 henry/m
Speed of light in vacuo c = 2.998 x 108 m/s
Electronic charge e = 1.602 x 10-19 C
Boltzmann constant k = 1.381 x 10-23 J/K = 8.617 x 10-5 eV/K
Planck’s constant h = 6.6261 x 10-34 J.s = 4.136 x 10-15 eV.s
Avogadro’s constant NA = 6.022 x 1023 mole-1
Electron mass me = 5.94 x 10-4 u = 0.511 MeV/c2
Proton mass mp = 1.007276 u = 938.3 MeV/c2
Neutron mass mn = 1.008665 u = 939.6 MeV/c2
Bohr radius ao = 0.0529 nm
Bohr magneton 𝜇𝜇𝐵𝐵 = 9.27 x 10-24J/T
Rest energy of electron mc2 = 0.511 x 106 eV
Universal gas constant R = 8.314 J/mole/K = 0.08207 litre atm/mole/K
Velocity of sound in air 344 m/s
Latent heat of vapourisation of water at atmospheric pressure = 22.6 x 105 J Kg-1

1 eV = 1.6022 x 10-19 J
1 u = 931.5 MeV/c2
hc = 1240 eV.nm
kT = 0.02525 eV ~ 1/40 eV, at room temperature (T = 293 K)
Rest energy of electron = mc2 = 0.511 x 106 eV
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Number of electrons with energy between E and E + dE: is 𝑓𝑓(𝐸𝐸)𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝐸𝐸/𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 , where a = 0 for M-B distribution, a = -1 for B-E
𝐴𝐴𝑒𝑒 +𝑎𝑎
distribution and a = 1 for F-D distribution.

ℎ𝑐𝑐
Energy of a photon: 𝐸𝐸 = 𝜆𝜆
𝑧𝑧!𝑧𝑧 𝑚𝑚 𝑧𝑧!(𝑧𝑧+1)𝑚𝑚
Gauss’ representation of Euler's Gamma function definition as an infinite product: Γ(𝑚𝑚) = lim or lim = 1.
𝑧𝑧→∞ 𝑚𝑚(𝑚𝑚+1)(𝑚𝑚+2)…(𝑚𝑚+𝑧𝑧) 𝑧𝑧→∞ (𝑧𝑧+𝑚𝑚)!

∞ 2 1∙3∙5…(2𝑛𝑛−1) 𝜋𝜋
Definite integral I: ∫0 𝑥𝑥 2𝑛𝑛 𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = �𝑎𝑎
2𝑛𝑛+1 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛
∞ 1
Definite integral II: ∫0 𝑥𝑥 2 𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥−1 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 2.404
∞ 2
Definite integrals III: For 𝑓𝑓(𝑛𝑛) = ∫0 𝑥𝑥 𝑛𝑛 𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
n (even) 0 2 4 6
1 𝜋𝜋 1 𝜋𝜋 3 𝜋𝜋 15 𝜋𝜋
f(n) � � � �
2 𝑎𝑎 4 𝑎𝑎3 8 𝑎𝑎5 16 𝑎𝑎7

n (odd) 1 3 5 7

1 1 1 3
f(n)
2𝑎𝑎 2𝑎𝑎2 𝑎𝑎3 𝑎𝑎4

+∞ 2
Also ∫−∞ 𝑥𝑥 𝑛𝑛 𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 2𝑓𝑓(𝑛𝑛), if n is even,
+∞ 2
and ∫−∞ 𝑥𝑥 𝑛𝑛 𝑒𝑒 −𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 0, if n is odd.

Values of cp and cv near room temperature:

Molecule 𝑲𝑲𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂 𝑼𝑼 = (𝒏𝒏𝑵𝑵𝑨𝑨 )𝑲𝑲𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂 𝒄𝒄𝒑𝒑 (𝐉𝐉/𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦 ∙ 𝐊𝐊) 𝒄𝒄𝑽𝑽 (𝐉𝐉/𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦 ∙ 𝐊𝐊)
Monatomic 3
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
3
𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛
5
𝑅𝑅
3
𝑅𝑅
2 2 2 2
Diatomic 5
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
5
𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛
7
𝑅𝑅
5
𝑅𝑅
2 2 2 2
Polyatomic 3𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 3𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 3𝑅𝑅

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