The electronic specific heat and X-ray absorption of metals, and some other properties related to electron bands

Abstract According to the electron theory of metals the energies of the possible stationary states of the electrons in a metal form a continuum; it is usual to denote by N(E) dE the number of such states with energies between E and E+dE per unit volume. In a metal at the absolute zero of temperature all states are occupied up to a maximum energy E=ζ0. It is the purpose of this note to discuss the quantity N(E) in connexion with the crystal structure, specific heat and X-ray absorption spectra of metals.