Degeneracy

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

Dakota_Campbell_1C
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

Degeneracy

When solving for degeneracy when is W equal to 0. There was a problem on the Midterm that I had seemed to misinterpret.

Emmaraf 1K
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:16 am

Re: Degeneracy

Degeneracy never equals 0 since having a degeneracy equal to 0 is like saying something doesn't have a single state which it can occupy aka it doesn't exist. The question on the midterm I believe you are thinking about had a degeneracy=1 so entropy=0 because S=klnW and lnW = 0. The molecule could only exist in a single state and as a result wasn't disordered.

amogha_koka3I
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:24 am

Re: Degeneracy

So the lowest level of degeneracy we will encounter is 1?

Julia Go 2L
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:17 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

Re: Degeneracy

Yes, the lowest level of degeneracy is W=1.

Thus when we plug W=1 into the equation S = klnW, S=0. (ln1 = 0)

There is no residual entropy when the degeneracy is 1

Christopher Anisi 2K
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:21 am

Re: Degeneracy

The residual entropy can be equal to 0 but the lowest the degeneracy value (W) can be is 1 and when using the Boltzmann Equation of Equation for Entropy
S =KblnW, and in this case ln1 is equal to 0 which makes the entire entropy value equal to 0.

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