The Effect of Temperature on the Atomic Distribution in Liquid Sodium

X-ray diffraction patterns of liquid sodium at eight temperatures ranging from 100^∘{}C to 400^∘{}C have been obtained with monochromatic Mo Kα radiation. Fourier analyses of the 100^∘{}C and the 400^∘{}C intensity curves were made in order to obtain the atomic distribution functions. The distribution function at 400^∘{}C shows that at this temperature, the first concentration of atoms about any atom occurs at a distance of 3.90 A and the second concentration of atoms occurs at about 7.2A. The peaks in this curve are broader, and the curve approaches the average density more rapidly, than in the 100^∘{}C case. For sodium at 100^∘{}C, the distance of closest approach of the atoms is 3.83A.