For a metal at absolute temperature T, with Fermi energy E_F, the occupancy probability is given by:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Fermi-Dirac distribution function, which gives the occupancy probability of a given state in a metal at absolute temperature T, is given by 1/[e^((ES-EF)/kT) +1], where ES is the energy of the state, EF is the Fermi energy, k is the Boltzmann constant, and T is the temperature. At absolute zero temperature, only the states with energies below the Fermi energy are occupied. At finite temperature, some states above the Fermi energy will also be occupied but with reduced probability. Thus, the occupancy probability is highest for states closest to the Fermi energy and decreases as the energy deviates further from the Fermi energy. The correct answer is C because the probability of occupancy is the highest when ES is closest to EF.

For a Metal at Absolute Temperature T, with Fermi Energy