Canonical Ensembles (fixed N, V, T)
Sum of the set of occupation numbers
is the total number of systems:
<tex>\sum_j a_j = A</tex>
(Constraint #1)
Also, since we have an isolated system:
<tex>\sum_j a_j E_j = E </tex>
(Constraint #2)
The number of ways that any particular distribution of the
can be realized is the number of ways that <tex>A</tex> distinguishable objects can be arranged into groups (permutation):
<tex>W\raisebox
=\frac
= \frac
</tex>
The fraction of systems/members of the canonical ensemble with energy <tex>E_j</tex> is <tex>\frac
</tex> . The overall probability <tex>P_j</tex> that a system is in the j'th quantum state is:
<tex>P_j = \frac
= \frac
\frac
</tex>
which takes the average <tex>\frac
</tex> over all allowed distributions with equal a priori probabilities.
If we let <tex>A \to 0</tex> (i.e., <tex>a_j \to 0</tex>) , we get:
<tex>P_j = \frac
= \frac
\frac
= \frac
\frac
= \frac
</tex>
where <tex>a_j^*</tex> is the value of <tex>a_j</tex> in the distribution that maximizes <tex>W(a)</tex> (i.e. it is the most probable distribution). Thus:
<tex>P_j = \frac
= \frac
</tex>
Canonical Ensemble Average of any Mechanical Property
<tex>\overline M = \sum_j M_j P_j</tex>
Application of Lagrange's Method of Undetermined Multipliers and Stirling's Approximation
The most probable distribution becomes:
<tex>a_j^* = e^{\alpha' \cdot }e^{\beta E_j}</tex>
j = 1, 2, ....
<tex>\alpha' = \alpha +1</tex>