Distribution function (physics): Difference between revisions

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:''This article describes the ''distribution function'' as used in physics. You may be looking for the related mathematical concepts of [[cumulative distribution function]] or [[probability density function]].''

In molecular [[kinetic theory of gases|kinetic theory]] in [[physics]], a particlesystem's '''distribution function''' is a function of seven variables, <math>f(x,y,z,t;v_x,v_y,v_z)</math>, which gives the number of particles per unit volume in single-particle [[phase space]]. It is the number of particles per unit volume having approximately the [[velocity]] <math>\mathbf{v}=(v_x,v_y,v_z)</math> near the position <math>\mathbf{r}=(x,y,z)</math> and time <math>t</math>. The usual normalization of the distribution function is

:<math>n(x,y,z,t) = \int f \,dv_x \,dv_y \,dv_z,</math>