Abstract
The density ρ of He4 as a function of temperature and pressure has been measured along several different paths in the vicinity of the critical point. The results of the measurements are interpreted in terms of power-law descriptions near the critical point: For the coexistence curve, |ρρc|(TcT)β; for the critical isotherm, |PPc||ρρc|δ; for the critical isobar, |TTc||ρρc|π; for the isothermal compressibility along the coexistence curve, (1ρ)(ρP)T|TTc|γT; and for the thermal expansion coefficient along the coexistence curve, (1ρ)(ρT)P|PPc|γP. The subscript c identifies the value of a quantity at the critical point. It is shown why simple power-law descriptions might be inadequate to describe all the behavior at the critical point and how this problem can be partly solved by the use of additional, non-singular factors. The values of the exponents are found to be β=0.354±0.010, 3.8δ4.1, 3.8π4.2, γT=1.1±0.1, and γP=1.5±0.2. Combined with Moldover's specific-heat measurements, which give for the exponent α of the expression CV|TTc|α a value of α=0.017±0.008, we can test various inequalities proposed for the exponents. For Rushbrooke's and Fisher's inequality, γT+2β+α2, we obtain 2.0 for the maximum value of the left side; for Griffiths's inequality,