functiontauprime

Information

This function is based on the kinetic theory of gases under the following assumptions [Present1958]:

1. The particles are smooth and rigid but elastic spheres with identical radii. This is the "billiard-ball" assumption, and it implies that the collisions are instantaneous and conserve kinetic energy.
2. Between collisions, particles have no influence on one another.
3. The mean free path, or average distance a particle travels between collisions, is much larger than the diameter of a particle.
4. The properties carried by a particle depend only on those of the last particle with which it collided.
5. The speeds of the particles follow the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.

Also, it is assumed that the Einstein relation applies.

Please see [Davies2013, Ch. 3] for a derivation of the rate of phase change from kinetic theory.

Although specific volume is an input to this function, the result is independent of specific volume.

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