GREPhysics.NET: GR8677 #51

GR8677 #51

Problem

GREPhysics.NET Official Solution

Statistical Mechanics $\Rightarrow$ }Specific Heat

Both Debye and Einstein assumed that there are 3N oscillators. (In fact, one can argue that the core of condensed matter begins with the assumption that a continuum piece of matter is basically a tiny mattress---a bunch of springs laden together.) Answer is thus (B).

However, Einstein was too lazy, and he decided that all 3N oscillators have the same frequency. Debye assigned a spectrum of frequencies (phonons).

Alternate Solutions

There are no Alternate Solutions for this problem. Be the first to post one!

Comments

Altair
2005-11-11 09:07:25

"Einstein was too lazy" is an amazing comment! Although it is almost offensive :-) the result is sure: I'll never forget Einstein decided that the oscillators have the same frequency!

yosun
2005-11-11 14:21:06

altair: here's another bit of irreverent trivia---Einstein's $1/3$ -arsed theory did not produce the right specific heat for low temperatures, and thus deBye's theory, which gave the right resulst for both low and high temperatures, prevailed (recall the $T^3$ law for low temperatures).

Reply to this comment

Post A Comment!

You are replying to:

"Einstein was too lazy" is an amazing comment! Although it is almost offensive :-) the result is sure: I'll never forget Einstein decided that the oscillators have the same frequency!

Bare Basic LaTeX Rosetta Stone
LaTeX syntax supported through dollar sign wrappers $, ex., $\alpha^2_0$ produces $\alpha^2_0$ .
type this...	to get...
$\int_0^\infty$	$\int_0^\infty$
$\partial$	$\partial$
$\Rightarrow$	$\Rightarrow$
$\ddot{x},\dot{x}$	$\ddot{x},\dot{x}$
$\sqrt{z}$	$\sqrt{z}$
$\langle my \rangle$	$\langle my \rangle$
$\left( abacadabra \right)_{me}$	$\left( abacadabra \right)_{me}$
$\vec{E}$	$\vec{E}$
$\frac{a}{b}$	$\frac{a}{b}$

The Sidebar Chatbox...
Scroll to see it, or resize your browser to ignore it...

<a href="http://www6.shoutmix.com/?grephysics">View shoutbox</a>
ShoutMix chat widget

Free 3D Virtual World. Largest User-Created Fantasy World. Don't Play, Experience. Join Now!

Bored, got time to kill, and want to earn micro-cash by mindlessly clicking on links? Join CrownGPT. Click Offers. Click the Paid to Click button... then click to your heart's delight.

FREE 3D Virtual World Chat - Join Second Life Today!

All-Solutions List | Latest Comments | Unanswered Questions (Cries for Help!) |::| About

This site is not affiliated with ETS, nor is it officially endorsed (yet) by ETS. This site is the work of an individual named Yosun Chang. The solutions, sans user comments and ETS questions, are © 2005 by Yosun Chang except where noted. All rights reserved. / The comments appending particular solutions are due to the respective users. / Educational Testing Service, ETS, the ETS logo, Graduate Record Examinations, and GRE are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service. The examination questions are © 1997 and © 2001 by ETS.

Bare Basic LaTeX Rosetta Stone