In statistical mechanics, the ensemble average is defined as the mean of a quantity that is a function of the micro-state of a system (the ensemble of possible states), according to the distribution of the system on its micro-states in this ensemble.
Since the ensemble average is dependent on the ensemble chosen, its mathematical expression varies from ensemble to ensemble. However, the mean obtained for a given physical quantity doesn't depend on the ensemble chosen at the thermodynamic limit.
Read more about Ensemble Average: Ensemble Average in Other Ensembles
Famous quotes containing the word average:
“A two-week-old infant cries an average of one and a half hours every day. This increases to approximately three hours per day when the child is about six weeks old. By the time children are twelve weeks old, their daily crying has decreased dramatically and averages less than one hour. This same basic pattern of crying is present among children from a wide range of cultures throughout the world. It appears to be wired into the nervous system of our species.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)