Degenerate Fermi Gas: Exploring the Basics

[mkbh_10]

Why is it called degenerate ??

Is it because all levels upto fermi level are filled or all degeneracies of the energy levels that are present occupied at T = 0k .

In deriving the average occupation no. for a deg fermi gas , we have used classical idea of momentum that is integrating over a sphere of p^2 dp , why not qntm mechanical operator form since this a quantum gas.

Also in calculating average N we have an integral of (E)^1/2 dE within limit 0 to Ef where Ef is fermi energy level , now while evaluating this we don't consider the E= 0 state i.e ground state because if we put 0 then avg N = 0 , what's the thought behind this ??

 

[Valerie Park]

The term "degenerate" is used to describe the situation in which two or more different energy states have the same energy. This occurs when the number of available energy states at a given temperature is exceeded by the number of particles, so that multiple particles occupy the same energy state. This phenomenon is known as the Pauli Exclusion Principle, which states that no two electrons can occupy the same energy state simultaneously.