Problems and Solutions on Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

346 Problems t3 Solution, on Thermodynamics 6' Statistical Mechanics

2158
In an experiment a beam of silver atoms emerges from an oven, which
contains silver vapor at T = 1200 K. The beam is collimated by being
passed through a small circular aperture.

(a) Give an argument to show that it is not possible, by narrowing
the aperture a, to decrease indefinitely the diameter of the spot, D, on the
screen.

(b) If the screen is at L = 1 meter from the aperture, estimate numer-
ically the smallest D that can be obtained by varying a.
(You may assume for simplicity that all atoms have the same momentum
along the direction of the beam and have a mass of MA, = 1.8 x g).
(UC, Berkeley)

Fig. 2.33

Solution:

(a) According to the uncertainty principle, the smaller a is, the greater

is the uncertainty in the y-component of the momentum of the silver atoms

that pass through the aperture and the larger is the spot.

(b) Using the uncertainty principle, we obtain the angle of deflection

of the outgoing atoms

Thus, D = a + 2OL = a +

= 8.0 x m.

(2 hL) 'I2

Dinin = (^2) (3mkT)'/4
That is, the smallest diameter is about 80 x lo3 di.