Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-a-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2011/paper-1/section-c/c11/b-heat-capacity/solution

For three-dimensional acoustic modes, and the mode count in a spherical shell is proportional to , giving phonon DOS proportional to . Thermally occupied modes have of order , so . Differentiation gives . At , all harmonic modes are classically populated; each has mean energy by equipartition. Thus the molar heat capacity tends to , the Dulong-Petit law. Anharmonic expansion and electronic contributions are not included in that lattice limit.

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