f(E)

1
,,T = Absolute
zero

-0 + --------E
44-21 A guess as to the probabil-
ity distribution for occupation of
free-electron energy states at
absolute zero. All the states are
occupied (probability one) up to
the value Ero, and all those above
Ero are empty (occupation proba-
bility zero). As the temperature
increases, we might expect more
and more electrons to be in states
with E> Ero.