Curie's Law and 3rd Law of Thermodynamics

In summary, the question is asking to prove whether paramagnetic substances obey Curie's Law at temperatures close to 0K based on the 3rd Principle of Thermodynamics. Curie's Law, which states that M=CH/T, is found to fail at temperatures close to 0K according to a research paper by Nobel laureate Giauque. This is because as the temperature approaches 0K, M goes to infinite and there are no excited states for the atoms to align with the magnetic field (H), thus violating Curie's Law. Therefore, at 0K, there is a limit to the value of M and it does not obey Curie's Law.
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Homework Statement


"According to 3rd Principle of Thermodynamics, prove whether or not paramagnetic substances obey Curie's Law at temperatures close to 0K"

Homework Equations


Curie's Law: M=CH/T

The Attempt at a Solution


I've done some research and I found this link (on page 245): http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1949/giauque-lecture.pdf
It says that Curie's Law fails at temperatures close to 0K, but I don't know why. Is it because M goes to infinite?
Thank you
 
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If M = CH/T what does this predict as you lower the temp? What does H due to the magnetization. Physically what does the magnetic field do to the atoms? Is there a limit to the value of M? What happens at 0 deg K? ( Think no excited states.) How does this compare to what Curies Law states?
 
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FAQ: Curie's Law and 3rd Law of Thermodynamics

What is Curie's Law?

Curie's Law, also known as the Curie-Weiss Law, states that the magnetic susceptibility of a material is inversely proportional to its absolute temperature. This means that as the temperature of a material increases, its magnetic susceptibility decreases and vice versa.

What is the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics?

The 3rd Law of Thermodynamics, also known as the Nernst Heat Theorem, states that the entropy of a pure, perfect crystalline substance at absolute zero temperature is equal to zero. This means that at absolute zero, there is no disorder or randomness in the atoms or molecules of a pure substance.

How are Curie's Law and the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics related?

Curie's Law and the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics are both fundamental laws of physics that describe the behavior of materials at different temperatures. While Curie's Law relates to the magnetic properties of materials, the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics relates to the entropy and energy of materials.

What are some real-life applications of Curie's Law and the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics?

Curie's Law has many applications in the fields of materials science and engineering, specifically in the development of magnetic materials for various technologies such as magnetic storage devices and magnetic sensors. The 3rd Law of Thermodynamics has applications in the study of phase transitions, such as the formation of crystals, and in the development of refrigeration technologies.

Are Curie's Law and the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics always applicable?

While Curie's Law and the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics are fundamental laws of physics, there are certain conditions under which they may not be applicable. For example, Curie's Law only applies to materials that follow the Curie-Weiss behavior and the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics only applies to pure, perfect crystalline substances at absolute zero temperature. In real-world scenarios, there may be deviations from these conditions, making the laws less applicable.

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