##  [Partition Function (Statistical Mechanics)](/partition-function-statistical-mechanics) 

  ##  [Partition Function (Statistical Mechanics)](https://natural.quantumdictionary.io/partition-function-statistical-mechanics-0) 

  

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**Natural & Formal Sciences Dictionary**

 







 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Definition

The normalization and generating quantity Z(β,...) = ∑_s exp(−β E_s) (or the phase‑space integral analogue) in the canonical ensemble that sums Boltzmann weights over microstates s; it encodes the statistical weights of configurations at inverse temperature β and yields thermodynamic observables.