Second Virial Coefficients for Nonspherical Molecules and Their Experimental Measurements

Abstract

<em>The virial coefficients can be obtained from statistical mechanics in connection with the intermolecular potentials. The intermolecular potential of polyatomic molecules is usually assumed to consist of a spherically symmetric component plus a contribution due to asphericaity of the molecular charge distribution. In this study, the second virial coefficients have been calculated for N₂, CO and SF₆ from the Lennard-Jones (6-12) potential. The results are in good agreement with those obtained experimentally.</em>