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henry wang
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(Mentor note: moved here from noon homework thread hence no template)
I was studying vibration of a one-dimensional monatomic chain and the textbook used periodic boundary condition (PBC).
I wanted to justify the use of PBC, so I came up with this:
I was studying vibration of a one-dimensional monatomic chain and the textbook used periodic boundary condition (PBC).
I wanted to justify the use of PBC, so I came up with this:
- atoms deep inside the crystal sees an infinite crystal with periodic potential
- atoms near the surface of the system do not see an infinite crystal nor periodic potential.
- however there aren't many atoms near the surface so they contribute little to the property of the whole system.
- therefore PBC can be used since the majority of the atoms sees periodic potential.
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