## Degeneracy

Boltzmann Equation for Entropy: $S = k_{B} \ln W$

905085650
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:19 am

### Degeneracy

Can someone explain to me what degeneracy is and how it relates to entropy? Thank you!!

Nahelly Alfaro-2C
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 3:04 am

### Re: Degeneracy

Degeneracy (w) is the number of ways of achieving a given energy state. The relationship shared between entropy and degeneracy is the Boltzmann's equation- S= kB ln W. The way degeneracy would be calculated is W=2^N in which N represents the particles that can be found in one of two states. When connecting back to Boltzmann's equation it would be:
S=kB lnW
= kB ln(2^N)
=N kB ln2
S= Rln2

Michelle Nwufo 2G
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 3:00 am

### Re: Degeneracy

Also, it’s kind of confusing why work and degeneracy have the same constant. Are they somehow related?

Cameron_Greenberg_3C
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:26 am

### Re: Degeneracy

Michelle Nwufo 2G wrote:Also, it’s kind of confusing why work and degeneracy have the same constant. Are they somehow related?

Work has a lowercase w, while degeneracy is an uppercase W. They are not related.

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