A system has three macrostates. Macrostates 1 and 3 are least likely and have one basic state each. Macrostate 2 is the equilibrium state and is four times more likely to occur than either of the other two macrostates.
Part A
What is the probability that the equilibrium state 2 occurs?
Express your answer using three significant digits.
p2=
Part B
What is the probability that macrostate 1 occurs?
Express your answer using three significant digits.
p1=
Part C
What is the probability that macrostate 3 occurs?
Express your answer using three significant digits.
p3=
Part D
What is the sum of the probabilities for all macrostates?
Express your answer using three significant digits.
p=

Respuesta :

Answer:

[tex]p2=0.667\\p1=0.167\\p3=0.167\\p=1[/tex]

Explanation:

Let's start writing the sample space for this exercise :

Let be ''M'' an abbreviation for Macrostate

Ω = { M1 , M2 , M3 }

Let be P(M1) the probability of Macrostate 1.

Reading the exercise, we know that ⇒

[tex]P(M1)=P(M3)[/tex]

Let's note this probability as ''p''.

[tex]P(M1)=P(M3)=p[/tex]

Macrostate 2 is four times more likely to occur than either of the other two macrostates ⇒

[tex]P(M2)=4p[/tex]

The sum of all probabilities must be equal to 1 for this sample space.Therefore,

[tex]p+p+4p=1[/tex]

[tex]6p=1[/tex]

[tex]p=\frac{1}{6}[/tex]

Finally :

[tex]P(M1)=\frac{1}{6}[/tex]

[tex]P(M2)=\frac{4}{6}[/tex]

[tex]P(M3)=\frac{1}{6}[/tex]

For Part A :

[tex]p2=\frac{4}{6}=0.667[/tex]

For Part B and C :

[tex]p1=p3=0.167[/tex]

For Part D :

The sum of the probabilities for all macrostates is equal to 1 :

[tex]p=p1+p2+p3=\frac{1}{6}+\frac{4}{6}+\frac{1}{6}=\frac{6}{6}=1[/tex]