QUANTUM MECHANICAL SECOND VIRIAL COEFFICIENT OF A LENNARD-JONES GAS . HELIUM

The quantum mechanical second virial coefficients of Lennard Jones 3He and 4He gases with the De Boer parameters have been obtained over the complete temperature range from near absolute zero to the classical region. A formalism separating the virial into direct (Boltzmann) and exchange (spin and quantum statistics) contributions has been employed. The calculation is based on phase shifts except at the very highest temperatures where a Wigner Kirkwood method has been used. Examination of the exchange term shows in detail the rapid suppression of the statistical effects with rising temperature, their contribution dropping to less than 0.001 cm3 by 7°K (4He). Comparison of the high temperature (Boltzmann) results with those obtained by a third order Wigner Kirkwood expansion shows excellent agreement down to about 50°K for 4He and 60°K for 3He. The Wigner Kirkwood expansion is shown to be unsuitable for determining the behavior of the exchange terms. Finally, results are compared with the available experimental data. © 1969, American Institute of Physics. All rights reserved.