Past exam of the chemistry A course of the University of Cambridge / 2025 / Paper 2 / A9 / d / Solution

For $T\ll T_F$, only electrons within an energy window of order $kT$ around the Fermi energy can change occupation appreciably, because of the Pauli exclusion principle. The active fraction is of order $kT/E_F=T/T_F$. Giving each of these electrons energy of order $kT$ estimates an excitation energy $U-U_0\sim N_{e}k{T}^2/T_F$, and thereforePer mole of conduction electrons, $N_{e}k=R$, which is the quoted $2RT/T_F$. Per mole of metal atoms with $z$ model conduction electrons each, the conduction-electron count in the molar electronic heat capacity instead gives $2zRT/T_F$. The numerical factor is only approximate: the Sommerfeld expansion gives $C_V=({\pi }^2/2)N_{e}kT/T_F$ for a three-dimensional free-electron gas.