Editing Degree of freedom
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numbers (e.g. the Eulerian angles). | numbers (e.g. the Eulerian angles). | ||
Often, ''effective'' degrees of freedom must be considered. For example, diatomic molecules would need 6 degrees of freedom, 3 for each atom (since these two can be anywhere in the system). However, vibrations are ''frozen'' at temperatures below thousands of K, and only 5 effective degrees of freedom are needed. E.g.: three to specify the location of the centre-of-mass, and two angles to specify rotation. (Rotations may also be ''frozen'', but this happens at low | Often, ''effective'' degrees of freedom must be considered. For example, diatomic molecules would need 6 degrees of freedom, 3 for each atom (since these two can be anywhere in the system). However, vibrations are ''frozen'' at temperatures below thousands of K, and only 5 effective degrees of freedom are needed. E.g.: three to specify the location of the centre-of-mass, and two angles to specify rotation. (Rotations may also be ''frozen'', but this happens at low temperatures.) | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
#[http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521009669 Benjamin Widom "Statistical Mechanics, A Concise Introduction for Chemists" (2002) ISBN 0521009669] | #[http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521009669 Benjamin Widom "Statistical Mechanics, A Concise Introduction for Chemists" (2002) ISBN 0521009669] | ||
[[category: classical mechanics]] | [[category: classical mechanics]] | ||