Introduction to statistical mechanics of charged systems

Yan Levin
2004 Brazilian journal of physics  
The paper is the summary of lectures given in São Carlos, Brazil during the 2004 Summer School on Statistical Mechanics. My objective was to provide the students with some basic tools necessary to study the thermodynamics of Coulomb systems. I have restricted myself to simple models and techniques, which nevertheless, when used correctly can give a clear insight into the fundamental physics behind various complex phenomena that appear when the interactions between the system's constituents are
more » ... ominated by the long ranged Coulomb force. Symmetric electrolyte Consider the simplest model of an electrolyte solution: N ions idealized as hard spheres of diameter a carrying charge ±q at their center confined to volume V . The charge neutrality of solution requires that N + = N − = N/2. The solvent will be modeled as a continuum of dielectric constant .
doi:10.1590/s0103-97332004000600006 fatcat:jfyxtg6mnfe2vdej5mxxqmtbqe