The Thermal Expansion of an Almost Linear Chain

Abstract

A linear chain model of a close-packed line of atoms in a solid has been constructed. The model differs from usual linear chain models in that the chain is not strictly one-dimensional, the individual atoms being free to move in three dimensions. To account for the interaction of the chain with its surroundings an effective potential has been introduced. When the thermal expansion of solid argon is calculated, satisfactory agreement with experiment is obtained in the classical region.