PHASE SPACE IN STATISTICAL PHYSICS – 100 MCQs with Answers & Explanations
1. What does a point in phase space represent?
C. A specific state of a system
Explanation: It represents the complete state of a system with specified
coordinates and momenta.
2. For a system of N particles in 3D, phase space has:
B. 6N dimensions
Explanation: Each particle has 3 position and 3 momentum coordinates.
3. The phase space of a classical particle includes:
D. Position and momentum
4. Phase space volume refers to:
B. Product of all positions and momenta
5. Equal probability in phase space is assumed using:
D. Principle of Equal A Priori Probability
6. Liouville’s theorem states:
A. Phase space volume is conserved
7. Phase space is used in:
D. All ensembles
8. A microstate corresponds to:
A. A unique point representing a macrostate
9. In quantum mechanics, phase space is:
B. Discrete
10. Density of states is:
B. Number of quantum states per unit phase space volume
11. Phase space element in classical physics is:
B. Arbitrarily small
12. Volume element in phase space is:
C. dp dq
13. Constant energy surface in phase space is:
C. Energy shell
14. Not conserved under Hamiltonian flow:
C. Time
15. Coarse-graining helps define:
B. Entropy
16. Distribution function in phase space is:
C. f(p,q,t)
17. Law describing time evolution of phase density:
C. Liouville’s Equation
18. Phase space trajectory in isolated system is:
C. Confined to a constant energy surface
19. Spread in phase space is measured by:
A. Entropy
20. In ergodic systems, phase trajectory:
C. Covers the entire energy surface
21. Liouville’s theorem is valid for:
A. Hamiltonian systems
22. Ergodic hypothesis implies:
B. Time average equals ensemble average
23. The smallest volume in quantum phase space is:
B. h^3
24. Which principle limits precision in phase space?
C. Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle
25. Macrostates are composed of:
D. Many microstates
26. Classical particles are indistinguishable in:
C. Quantum statistical mechanics
27. Volume in phase space is conserved in:
B. Reversible systems
28. A closed surface in phase space signifies:
D. Conserved quantity
29. For non-interacting particles, phase space factorizes into:
A. Individual particle phase spaces
30. Entropy is maximized when:
D. Phase space distribution is most spread
31. Canonical ensemble is described by:
C. Boltzmann distribution in phase space
32. Partition function in phase space involves:
D. Integration over all momenta and coordinates
33. Which is true in microcanonical ensemble?
A. Energy is constant
34. The Boltzmann entropy is:
C. S = k ln Ω
35. The total number of microstates is proportional to:
A. Volume in phase space
36. For ideal gas, number of microstates depends on:
B. Energy and volume
37. Hamilton’s equations describe:
C. Motion in phase space
38. Phase portrait is a:
A. Graphical representation of motion in phase space
39. Quantum mechanically, phase space cell size is:
D. h^N
40. Phase space flow is incompressible due to:
B. Liouville’s theorem
41. Microcanonical distribution is:
A. Uniform over accessible phase space
42. Phase space and entropy are connected by:
C. Number of microstates
43. In thermodynamic equilibrium, phase space distribution is:
D. Stationary
44. Classical limit of partition function ignores:
A. Quantum discreteness
45. Which system cannot be represented fully in phase space?
C. Quantum system with entanglement
46. Coarse-grained phase space helps explain:
B. Irreversibility
47. Surface of section in phase space is used to:
D. Study dynamics in lower dimensions
48. The Gibbs paradox arises in phase space due to:
A. Overcounting indistinguishable states
49. Which is a valid classical approximation?
B. Phase space cells are small compared to system scale
50. The area enclosed by a closed orbit in phase space is related to:
D. Action variable
51. Number of accessible microstates increases with:
A. Energy
52. The phase space of a single harmonic oscillator is a:
B. Closed loop
53. The entropy increases as:
C. Phase space region becomes larger
54. A chaotic system’s phase space trajectory is:
D. Sensitive to initial conditions
55. Ergodicity is essential for:
B. Statistical equilibrium
56. Volume preservation in phase space ensures:
A. Reversible dynamics
57. Partitioning of phase space is necessary to:
C. Count microstates
58. Stirling’s approximation is used in:
D. Entropy calculations
59. Ensemble average is:
A. Average over all microstates in phase space
60. Macrostate is defined by:
D. Few macroscopic variables
61. Ergodicity helps justify:
C. Time-ensemble equivalence
62. Liouville’s theorem supports:
A. Conservation of probability
63. Which does not describe phase space?
C. Energy spectrum
64. Density in phase space refers to:
B. Probability per unit phase volume
65. Quantum phase space element is based on:
D. Planck’s constant
66. Microcanonical ensemble assumes:
C. Isolated system
67. Canonical ensemble assumes:
B. Constant temperature
68. Grand canonical ensemble allows:
C. Particle exchange
69. Time evolution in phase space is governed by:
A. Hamilton’s equations
70. The number of microstates increases:
D. Exponentially with energy
71. In classical mechanics, particles follow:
C. Deterministic paths in phase space
72. Ensemble is:
A. Collection of virtual systems
73. Entropy is a function of:
C. Microstates count
74. Boltzmann’s constant connects:
A. Entropy and probability
75. Higher entropy implies:
D. Greater disorder in phase space
76. Quasi-periodic motion in phase space appears as:
B. Tori
77. Thermodynamic probability is:
C. Number of microstates of macrostate
78. Maximum entropy principle yields:
A. Most probable distribution
79. Equilibrium corresponds to:
D. Maximum entropy state
80. Coarse-grained entropy:
B. Increases with time
81. Fine-grained entropy:
C. Remains constant in isolated systems
82. Information entropy differs from:
A. Thermodynamic entropy in basis
83. Partition function provides:
D. Link between micro and macroscopic quantities
84. Stirling’s approximation simplifies:
C. ln(N!) ≈ N ln N – N
85. Accessible phase space grows with:
B. Energy and volume
86. For gas, phase space includes:
A. Positions and momenta of all molecules
87. Irreversibility arises due to:
D. Coarse graining of phase space
88. Quantum states in phase space are:
C. Discrete and countable
89. Hamiltonian represents:
A. Total energy
90. Entropy and phase space volume:
B. Are logarithmically related
91. Thermal equilibrium implies:
D. Stationary phase space distribution
92. Statistical entropy is proportional to:
C. ln Ω
93. Ideal gas law derived using:
A. Microcanonical ensemble
94. Quantum statistics uses:
C. Symmetrized or antisymmetrized wavefunctions
95. Time reversible motion shows:
D. No increase in fine-grained entropy
96. Entropy production is zero in:
B. Reversible process
97. Chaos in phase space is studied via:
C. Lyapunov exponents
98. Ensemble average of observable is:
A. Weighted phase space average
99. Time average is valid under:
D. Ergodic hypothesis
100. Liouville’s equation describes:
B. Evolution of distribution function in phase space
