Statistical Mechanics · Problem 3.24

The Grand Canonical Ensemble — R. K. Pathria

Physics — Statistical Mechanics · relativistic-equipartition

Problem

Show that in the relativistic case the equipartition theorem takes the form ⟨m0u2(1−u2/c2)−1/2⟩=3kT,\langle m_0 u^2 (1 - u^2/c^2)^{-1/2} \rangle = 3kT, where m0m_0 is the rest mass of a particle and uu its speed. Check that in the extreme relativistic case the mean thermal energy per particle is twice its value in the nonrelativistic case.

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