van der Waals Equation

Abstract

The van der Waals equation of state is obtained as the first- order correction to the ideal gas equation and some observational consequences are discussed: the correlation of the critical parameters, the Joule–Thomson coefficient, the inversion curve, and the determination of the vapor pressure. The Law of Corresponding States is formulated and discussed in several aspects. The notion of generalized charts is introduced with particular reference to the compressibility chart. The behavior in the proximity of the critical point is briefly examined.