PVT Measurements in the Critical Region of Xenon

Extensive PVT measurements of xenon extending from 1.8° above the critical temperature to the critical temperature, and in a few cases to 4 ° below the critical temperature, have been carried out at densities ranging from somewhat above the critical density to well below. In order to make the corrections for hydrostatic head small and easily calculable, a bomb having a height of only 1.0 cm. was used in the present measurements. The previously reported value for the critical temperature 16.590° is confirmed. The critical density is estimated to be 1.099 ± 0.002 gm./ml. compared with 1.105 gm./ml. found previously. The critical pressure is found to be 57.636 ± 0.005 atm.The isotherms at temperatures above the temperatures of meniscus disappearance do not appear to have any flat portions. However, the critical isotherm is considerably flatter and broader over a range of densities than that corresponding to a van der Waals equation, and at the critical point the third and fourth derivatives of pressure with respect to volume appear to be zero.