Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-chemistry-a-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2024/paper-2/a9/e/solution

At fixed , the Fermi energy scales as , so . From ,
This is the nonrelativistic electron degeneracy pressure. Because ,
The units are energy per volume, hence pressure. Converting the Fermi energies to joules gives the ideal Fermi gas bulk modulus
These are free-electron model values. The complete mechanical bulk modulus of a real metal also involves the ionic lattice, electronic bands and interactions; the model's positive electron pressure does not by itself explain the equilibrium crystal volume.

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