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Question 24.3: Adapted from Molecular Driving Forces - Statistical Thermody...

Adapted from Molecular Driving Forces – Statistical Thermodynamics in Chemistry and Biology by Ken A. Dill and Sarina Bromberg, Garland Science, Taylor & Francis Group, New York and London (2003). Hereafter, we will abbreviate the names of the authors as D&B.

(a) Given the intermolecular potential, \varphi_{2}(r), as a function of intermolecular separation, r, shown below, derive an expression for the second virial coefficient, B_{2}(T). Express your result solely in terms of \varepsilon, \sigma, R \sigma, \text { and } k_{B} T.

(b) Consider an ideal gas of molecules which possess permanent dipole moments, \vec{\mu}, in an external electric field, \vec{\varepsilon}. It is known that the potential energy of a single dipolar molecule in an external electric field is u=-\mu \varepsilon \cos \theta, \text { where } \theta is the angle between the vectors \vec{\mu} \text { and } \vec{\varepsilon}.

The Hamiltonian for a single molecule possessing a permanent dipole moment and interacting with an external electric field can be expressed as the sum of translational, rotational, and potential energy contributions. The contribution to the Hamiltonian related to rotational energy can be modeled using a rigid rotor.

1. Write the Hamiltonian expression for a single molecule possessing a permanent dipole moment in an external electric field.
2. Derive the classical partition function for the single gas molecule in Part (a).
3. Calculate the additional contribution to the ideal gas internal energy resulting from the dipole-electric field interactions.

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