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At the center of the sun, the temperature is approximately 107K and the concentration of electrons is approximately 1032 per cubic meter. Would it be (approximately) valid to treat these electrons as a "classical" ideal gas (using Boltzmann statistics), or as a degenerate Fermi gas (with T≈0 ), or neither?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The gas cannot be treated as degenerate at T=0, and ordinary classical ideal gas at T≫TF because the temperature T is not much less than or greater than TF.

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Given Information 

We are given that the temperature at the centre of the sun is approximately 107Kand the concentration of electrons is approximately 1032per cubic meter.

02

Step 2. Finding fermi temperature

Calculating the fermi temperature for the electron gas at the center of the Sun to check if the given statement is correct or not.

The Fermi temperature for the electron gas at the center of the Sun is given by,

TF=EFk

The fermi energy of electrons can be expressed in terms of free electron density as follows,

εF=h28me3NπV23

03

Step 3. Finding fermi temperature

Putting the values, we get

TF=1kh28me3NπV23TF=6.63×10-34J·s21.38×10-23J/K(8)9.1×10-31kg31032m-3π23=9.1×106K

The Fermi temperature is of the same order of magnitude as the temperature of the Sun 107K.

04

Step 4. About the Statement

Here, the temperature T is not much less than or greater than TF. Hence, the approximation is not very accurate.

Due to this reason, the gas cannot be treated as degenerate at T=0, and ordinary classical ideal gas at T≫TF.

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