Skip to main content
Physics

Return to Question

added 17 characters in body
Source Link
Deschele Schilder
Deschele Schilder
  • 1
  • 5
  • 44
  • 102

From what I understand, if a gas has a temperature $T$ degrees Kelvin, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy $E$ is proportional to $\exp(-E/kT)$. It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?

From what I understand, if a gas has temperature $T$, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy $E$ is proportional to $\exp(-E/kT)$. It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?

From what I understand, if a gas has a temperature $T$ degrees Kelvin, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy $E$ is proportional to $\exp(-E/kT)$. It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?

added 7 characters in body
Source Link
SuperCiocia
SuperCiocia
  • 25.3k
  • 20
  • 90
  • 177

From what I understand, if a gas has temperature T$T$, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy E$E$ is proportional to exp(-E/kT)$\exp(-E/kT)$. It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?

From what I understand, if a gas has temperature T, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy E is proportional to exp(-E/kT). It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?

From what I understand, if a gas has temperature $T$, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy $E$ is proportional to $\exp(-E/kT)$. It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?

Source Link
Khant Nyar Paing
Khant Nyar Paing
  • 23
  • 2

If ions in plasma are not in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution, what is the meaning of ion temperature?

From what I understand, if a gas has temperature T, it means that the probability of a gas particle to have energy E is proportional to exp(-E/kT). It is the physical interpretation of temperature.

But it is only true when the gas is in Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution. Electrons in plasma are in MB distribution. So when electron temperature is 1 eV for instance, I can know the energy distribution of electrons.

However, ions in plasma can be not in MB distribution. So, when it says ion temperature is 0.02 eV for instance, I don't know what it represents. What does ion temperature measure?