STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS OF NUCLEATION - THEORY OF HOMOGENEOUS CONDENSATION

Essential difficulties of the nucleation theory have been considered, especially those of calculating the number of droplets forming per unit time nu during the condensation of vapor. A more general statistical method using the Gibb's grand ensemble as the basis has been shown in the case of moderate supersaturations to allow, in a very strict and general manner, the determination of nu, a pre-exponential factor inclusive. For a particular case of rarefied vapor, the pre-exponential factor coincides with that found by Frenkel.