Solve the preceding problem if the molecules can exist in three steric configurations, designated as oblate, spherical and prolate. Again all three configurations have the same energy. And again two nearest-neighbor molecules interfere if, and only if, both are oblate; the energy of interaction is ε. Calculate (approximately) the number of molecules in each configuration at temperature T.
Answer
N~/10 at kBT/ε≈0.266; N~/5 at kBT/ε≈1.15N~/4 at kBT/ε≈2.47; 3N~/10 at kBT/ε≈7.78N~/3 at kBT→∞