4. On the General Effects of Molecular Attraction of Small Range on the Behaviour of a Group of Smooth Impinging Spheres

Abstract

The present instalment traces some of the consequences of assuming the hard spherical particles of a gas to exert intense molecular forces when at distances comparable with their diameters. The effect of the new term in the virial in counteracting and at last obliterating that due to the impacts, is traced as the gas is gradually compressed.

Next, the spheres (still supposed to attract one another) are regarded as capable of absorbing energy in a vibratory form, and of losing it directly by radiation. In such a case the relative translatory energy may be so reduced that pairs of spheres may remain within molecular distance from one another. The bearing of these results upon condensation, dissociation, &c, is given.