Thermal Physics · Problem 15

Chemical Potential and Gibbs Distribution — Charles Kittel & Herbert Kroemer

Physics — Statistical Mechanics · external-chemical-potential

Problem

External chemical potential. Consider a system at temperature τ\tau, with NN atoms of mass MM in volume VV. Let μ(0)\mu(0) denote the value of the chemical potential at the surface of the earth. (a) Prove carefully and honestly that the value of the total chemical potential for the identical system when translated to altitude hh is μ(h)=μ(0)+Mgh ,\mu(h) = \mu(0) + Mgh\,, where gg is the acceleration of gravity. (b) Why is this result different from that applicable to the barometric equation of an isothermal atmosphere?

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