In statistical mechanics, the statistical weight is the relative probability (possibly unnormalized) of a particular feature of a state. If the energy associated with the feature is ΔE, the statistical weight is given by the Boltzmann factor e-ΔE/kT, where k is the Boltzmann constant and T is the temperature in kelvin.
The statistical weight is a convenient shorthand that is often used in transfer matrix solutions of problems in statistical mechanics.
Famous quotes containing the word weight:
“I, being born a woman and distressed
By all the needs and notions of my kind,
Am urged by your propinquity to find
Your person fair, and feel a certain zest
To bear your body’s weight upon my breast:”
—Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950)
Related Phrases
Related Words