Blundell Thermal Physics · Problem 23.5

Photons

Physics — Statistical Mechanics · photon-gas-thermodynamics

Problem

Thermal radiation can be treated thermodynamically as a gas of photons with internal energy U=u(T)VU = u(T)V and pressure p=u(T)/3p = u(T)/3, where u(T)u(T) is the energy density. Show that: (a) the entropy density ss is given by s=4p/Ts = 4p/T; (b) the Gibbs function G=0G = 0; (c) the heat capacity at constant volume Cv=3sC_v = 3s per unit volume; (d) the heat capacity at constant pressure, CpC_p, is infinite. (What on earth does that mean?)

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