Influence of interatomic repulsion on the structure of liquids at melting

Abstract

Radial distribution functions and liquid structure factors for fluids of particles interacting through 1/rn repulsive potentials are computed ‘exactly’ and systematically compared at crystallization for several values of n ranging between the two extremes of hard spheres (n = ∞) and Coulomb forces (n = 1). Striking similarities are pointed out in the large r behaviour (beyond the first peak) of the various radial distribution functions, and in the small k behaviour (including the first peak) of the various structure factors. Some information about the steepness of the repulsive potential in liquid rare gases and in liquid alkalis is gained from a comparison of the damping of successive peaks of the structure factors with experimental data.