Abstract

BERNAL, J.; FLOWERS-CANO, R.  and  CARBAJAL-DOMINGUEZ, A.. Exact calculation of the number of degrees of freedom of a rigid body composed of n particles. Rev. mex. fís. E [online]. 2009, vol.55, n.2, pp.191-195. ISSN 1870-3542.

In this work we correct a calculation made by Albert Einstein that appears in his book titled The Meaning of Relativity (Princeton, 1953), and by means of which he tries to obtain the number of degrees of freedom of a system composed of n particles with fixed relative distances and which are immersed in a three-dimensional space. As a result of our analysis, we develop expressions which yield the number of degrees of freedom of an analogous system, not only in three, but in any arbitrary number D of dimensions.

Keywords : Degrees of freedom; rigid body; ideal gas; heat capacity.

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