Boltzmann distribution and state degeneracy
ID: boltzmann-distribution-and-state-degeneracy
Group microstates by their energy . The state degeneracy counts how many microstates have that energy; their aggregate probability isHere is the probability of the macrostate retaining only energy, while is the probability of one individual microstate. For two such macrostates,Counting more microstates can compensate for a smaller Boltzmann factor. Omitting the state degeneracy confuses a sum over microstates with a sum over distinct energies. [ref]
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/5-62-physical-chemistry-ii-spring-2008/bda82786b6014d3f468798339f658629_03_562ln08.pdf. MIT 5.62, spring 2008, lecture 3, page 4: degeneracy and the aggregate energy probability
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