- #1
Sekonda
- 207
- 0
Hey,
The phase-space, a graph of momentum against position, shows a trajectory of a particular system and any point on this trajectory gives a microstate of a particular macrostate; given the Energy of the system is constant... I think this is roughly true, correct me where I'm wrong please!
However the question concerns a ball bouncing between two walls placed at positions ±q, the ball interacts elastically with the walls and travels at a constant velocity. Therefore the energy is constant and magnitude of the momentum is conserved.
So I reckon the Phase-Space of such a system would simply be a straight line from -q to +q at a particular momentum p and also the same line at -p (for the ball bouncing back in the opposite direction)
Would this be correct? If not any help would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Tom
The phase-space, a graph of momentum against position, shows a trajectory of a particular system and any point on this trajectory gives a microstate of a particular macrostate; given the Energy of the system is constant... I think this is roughly true, correct me where I'm wrong please!
However the question concerns a ball bouncing between two walls placed at positions ±q, the ball interacts elastically with the walls and travels at a constant velocity. Therefore the energy is constant and magnitude of the momentum is conserved.
So I reckon the Phase-Space of such a system would simply be a straight line from -q to +q at a particular momentum p and also the same line at -p (for the ball bouncing back in the opposite direction)
Would this be correct? If not any help would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Tom