Ensemble Theory and Microcanonical Ensemble

Abstract

In the preceding sections we have seen how one can—at least in principle—calculate the macroscopic properties of a closed system for given E, V, and N. We now want to develop a more general formalism which we can also use to describe different situations (e.g., a system at a given temperature in a heat bath). In a given macrostate a system can assume a large number of concrete microstates. In the case of a closed system all possible microstates lie on the energy surface. Up to now, all these microstates in principle have been assumed to be equally likely: We have assumed that all microstates of the energy surface of a closed system can be assumed with equal probability.