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theoretical physics aspects > statistical mechanics > grand canonical ensemble

Preferred term

grand canonical ensemble  

Definition

  • In statistical mechanics, the grand canonical ensemble (also known as the macrocanonical ensemble) is the statistical ensemble that is used to represent the possible states of a mechanical system of particles that are in thermodynamic equilibrium (thermal and chemical) with a reservoir. The system is said to be open in the sense that the system can exchange energy and particles with a reservoir, so that various possible states of the system can differ in both their total energy and total number of particles. The system's volume, shape, and other external coordinates are kept the same in all possible states of the system. The thermodynamic variables of the grand canonical ensemble are chemical potential (symbol: µ) and absolute temperature (symbol: T). The ensemble is also dependent on mechanical variables such as volume (symbol: V) which influence the nature of the system's internal states. This ensemble is therefore sometimes called the µVT ensemble, as each of these three quantities are constants of the ensemble. (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_canonical_ensemble)

Broader concept

Entry terms

  • grand canonical
  • macrocanonical ensemble

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URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-ZL581SCD-G

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