Particle number
Encyclopedia
The particle number of a thermodynamic system
, conventionally indicated with the letter N, is the number of constituent particles in that system. The particle number is a fundamental parameter in thermodynamics
which is conjugate
to the chemical potential
. Unlike most physical quantities, particle number is a dimensionless quantity
. It is an extensive parameter, as it is directly proportional to the size of the system under consideration, and thus meaningful only for closed systems.
A constituent particle is one that cannot be broken into smaller pieces at the scale of energy
k·T involved in the process (where k is the Boltzmann constant and T is the temperature
). For example, for a thermodynamic system consisting of a piston
containing water vapour, the particle number is the number of water molecules in the system. The meaning of constituent particle, and thereby of particle number, is thus temperature-dependent.
considerations. In situations where the actual particle number of a given thermodynamical system needs to be determined, mainly in chemistry
, it is not practically possible to measure it directly by counting the particles. If the material is homogeneous and has a known amount of substance
n expressed in mole
s, the particle number N can be found by the relation
where NA is the Avogadro constant.
, obtained by dividing the particle number of a system by its volume
. This parameter is often denoted by a lower-case letter n.
, that is, the observable
that counts the number of constituent particles. In quantum field theory
, the particle number operator (see Fock state
) is conjugate to the phase of the classical wave (see coherent state
).
used in air quality standards is the atmospheric concentration of particulate matter. This measure is also sometimes referred to as the "particle number", although it is usually expressed in μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre).
Thermodynamic system
A thermodynamic system is a precisely defined macroscopic region of the universe, often called a physical system, that is studied using the principles of thermodynamics....
, conventionally indicated with the letter N, is the number of constituent particles in that system. The particle number is a fundamental parameter in thermodynamics
Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a physical science that studies the effects on material bodies, and on radiation in regions of space, of transfer of heat and of work done on or by the bodies or radiation...
which is conjugate
Conjugate variables (thermodynamics)
In thermodynamics, the internal energy of a system is expressed in terms of pairs of conjugate variables such as temperature/entropy or pressure/volume. In fact all thermodynamic potentials are expressed in terms of conjugate pairs....
to the chemical potential
Chemical potential
Chemical potential, symbolized by μ, is a measure first described by the American engineer, chemist and mathematical physicist Josiah Willard Gibbs. It is the potential that a substance has to produce in order to alter a system...
. Unlike most physical quantities, particle number is a dimensionless quantity
Dimensionless quantity
In dimensional analysis, a dimensionless quantity or quantity of dimension one is a quantity without an associated physical dimension. It is thus a "pure" number, and as such always has a dimension of 1. Dimensionless quantities are widely used in mathematics, physics, engineering, economics, and...
. It is an extensive parameter, as it is directly proportional to the size of the system under consideration, and thus meaningful only for closed systems.
A constituent particle is one that cannot be broken into smaller pieces at the scale of energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
k·T involved in the process (where k is the Boltzmann constant and T is the temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
). For example, for a thermodynamic system consisting of a piston
Piston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from...
containing water vapour, the particle number is the number of water molecules in the system. The meaning of constituent particle, and thereby of particle number, is thus temperature-dependent.
Determining the particle number
The concept of particle number has a main role in theoreticalTheoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
considerations. In situations where the actual particle number of a given thermodynamical system needs to be determined, mainly in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, it is not practically possible to measure it directly by counting the particles. If the material is homogeneous and has a known amount of substance
Amount of substance
Amount of substance is a standards-defined quantity that measures the size of an ensemble of elementary entities, such as atoms, molecules, electrons, and other particles. It is sometimes referred to as chemical amount. The International System of Units defines the amount of substance to be...
n expressed in mole
Mole (unit)
The mole is a unit of measurement used in chemistry to express amounts of a chemical substance, defined as an amount of a substance that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 12 grams of pure carbon-12 , the isotope of carbon with atomic weight 12. This corresponds to a value...
s, the particle number N can be found by the relation
- N = nNA,
where NA is the Avogadro constant.
Particle number density
A related intensive system parameter is given by the particle number densityNumber density
In physics, astronomy, and chemistry, number density is an intensive quantity used to describe the degree of concentration of countable objects in the three-dimensional physical space...
, obtained by dividing the particle number of a system by its volume
Volume
Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by some closed boundary, for example, the space that a substance or shape occupies or contains....
. This parameter is often denoted by a lower-case letter n.
In quantum mechanics
In quantum mechanical processes the total number of particles may not be preserved. The concept is therefore generalized to the particle number operatorParticle number operator
In quantum mechanics, for systems where the total number of particles may not be preserved, the number operator is the observable that counts the number of particles.The number operator acts on Fock space...
, that is, the observable
Observable
In physics, particularly in quantum physics, a system observable is a property of the system state that can be determined by some sequence of physical operations. For example, these operations might involve submitting the system to various electromagnetic fields and eventually reading a value off...
that counts the number of constituent particles. In quantum field theory
Quantum field theory
Quantum field theory provides a theoretical framework for constructing quantum mechanical models of systems classically parametrized by an infinite number of dynamical degrees of freedom, that is, fields and many-body systems. It is the natural and quantitative language of particle physics and...
, the particle number operator (see Fock state
Fock state
A Fock state , in quantum mechanics, is any element of a Fock space with a well-defined number of particles . These states are named after the Soviet physicist, V. A. Fock.-Definition:...
) is conjugate to the phase of the classical wave (see coherent state
Coherent state
In quantum mechanics a coherent state is a specific kind of quantum state of the quantum harmonic oscillator whose dynamics most closely resembles the oscillating behaviour of a classical harmonic oscillator...
).
In air quality
One measure of air pollutionAir pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
used in air quality standards is the atmospheric concentration of particulate matter. This measure is also sometimes referred to as the "particle number", although it is usually expressed in μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre).