It is interesting that by using this variable along with the tools of basic mechanics taught in first year physics (though perhaps we would not have found them so basic back at that time) such a range of important quantities can be estimated, let alone the fact that quite a few of these give reasonable results. It is even more interesting given that when one considers how far removed quantum mechanics is from basic mechanics when dealing with particles such as electrons. One would far more likely expect that the Drude model and its basic derivation would be completely useless in understanding or predicting any physical properties of materials. However in the tradition of approximations in physics, it serves as a sound basis to begin looking at the physics and behavior of various materials.
3/7/11
When considering the overall successes/failures of the Drude model, its quite interesting to actually take a step back and revisit the initial assumptions/calculations of the Drude model. Clearly the dominating assumption is the constraint that electrons only interact with the ions of the material, and not other electrons, giving rise to the relaxation time, tau.
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Good post!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being the first student to have the courage to make a post.
Indeed, it is amazing that the Drude model does work so well.
As long as we're evaluating Drude Model, I've read a paper that has been published in 2007 by Chudnovsky shows –I guess- the effectiveness of Drude Model, which not just has been very powerful in describing the conductivity and it's temperature dependence in concept, but moreover, Drude Model can be extended to account the spin and spin-orbit interaction as Chudnovsky claimed in his paper "Theory of Spin Hall Effect: Extension of the Drude Model".
ReplyDeleteThis approach applies to electrons and holes regardless of the scattering mechanism. To obtain an expression for Hall conductivity in metal and semiconductors the main assumption that has been made here is that the spin Hall conductivity and the charge conductivity are related. Chudnovsky showed that the theoretical computed data are in agreement with experimental data with in such a model, and that is counted as a successes of the Drude model.
I completely surprised how Drude Model deals with such particles and be able to predict it's interaction with the ions of the material
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