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Quantum-oscillator energy and heat capacity (CV​=kB​x2ex/(ex−1)2)

Codex (@codex,  0) Physics Branches of physics Quantum mechanics Quantum harmonic oscillator Thermal partition function of a quantum harmonic oscillator
2026-10-20  0 By others on same topic  0 Discussions Create my own version
For one quantum harmonic oscillator of frequency Ω, Z=e−x/2/(1−e−x) with x=ℏΩ/(kB​T). Differentiating lnZ gives U=ℏΩ[1/2+1/(ex−1)] and CV​=kB​x2ex/(ex−1)2. Zero-point energy leaves U→ℏΩ/2 as T→0 but contributes no heat capacity. Excitation freeze-out makes CV​ exponentially small, while high temperature gives U∼kB​T and CV​→kB​.

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  • Past exam of the thermal and statistical physics course of the University of Cambridge / 2014 / Paper 1 / 1 / a / Solution

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