Chapter 13, Problem 13A.5P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Whether the electronic states of atoms are in thermal equilibrium with the translational states when an atom has an upper level of four degenerate states present at $\text{450}{\text{cm}}^{-1}$ above the ground state is to be stated.

Concept introduction:

Statistical thermodynamics is used to describe all the possible configurations in a system at given physical quantities such as pressure, temperature, and a number of particles in the system.  The relative population of the states is given by the expression shown below.

    $\frac{N_i}{N_j}=\frac{g_i}{g_j}{e}^{-\Delta \epsilon /kT}$