試題詳解

16. Consider a gas in thermal equilibrium at two different temperatures, T₁ and T₂, where T₂ ＞ T₁. Which of the following statements best explains the interplay between the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, temperature, and entropy for this system?
(A) At T₂, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution shifts to lower particle speeds, and entropy decreases because there are fewer accessible microstates.
(B) At T₂, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution becomes broader, indicating a greater range of particle speeds and an increase in entropy due to more accessible microstates.
(C) The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution remains unchanged between T₁ and T₂ because the distribution depends only on the mass of the particles, not the temperature.
(D) At T₁, the narrower Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution corresponds to higher entropy, as lower temperatures increase the uniformity of particle speeds.
(E) Entropy remains constant between T₁ and T₂ because it is a state function independent of temperature changes.