Problem Set 2

Critical behavior at the liquid-gas critical point

Use the Van der Waals equation to calculate the critical behavior of:

1) The isothermal compressibility $\kappa _{T}=\left({\frac {\partial V}{\partial P}}\right)_{T}$, at $T>T_{c}$;

2) The reduced density jump $\delta V=|V-V_{c}|/V_{c}$ (across the first order transition line), at $T>T_{c}$.

Determine the corresponding critical exponents.