Thermal and Statistical Physics 2020
Consider a column of atoms each of mass \(M\) at temperature \(T\) in
a uniform gravitational field \(g\). Find the thermal average
potential energy per atom. The thermal average kinetic energy is
independent of height. Find the total heat capacity per atom. The
total heat capacity is the sum of contributions from the kinetic
energy and from the potential energy. Take the zero of the
gravitational energy at the bottom \(h=0\) of the column. Integrate
from \(h=0\) to \(h=\infty\). You may assume the gas is ideal.