Measurement of the Universal Gas Constant <span class="aps-inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>R</mi></math></span> Using a Spherical Acoustic Resonator

M. R. Moldover; J. P. M. Trusler; T. J. Edwards; J. B. Mehl; R. S. Davis

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.249

Measurement of the Universal Gas Constant $R$ Using a Spherical Acoustic Resonator

M. R. Moldover, J. P. M. Trusler, T. J. Edwards, J. B. Mehl, and R. S. Davis

Phys. Rev. Lett. 60, 249 – Published 25 January 1988

Abstract

We report a new value for the universal gas constant $R : 8.314471 \pm 0.000014$ J ${mol}^{- 1}$ $K^{- 1}$ . The standard error of $R$ has been reduced by a factor of 5, to 1.7 ppm. $R$ was determined from the speed of sound in argon contained within a thick, spherical shell at the temperature of the triple point of water $T_{t}$ . The volume of the shell was measured by our weighing the mercury required to fill it at $T_{t}$ . The molar mass of the argon was determined relative to that of a standard with accurately known chemical and isotopic composition by use of speed-of-sound data.

Received 6 November 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.249

Authors & Affiliations

M. R. Moldover, J. P. M. Trusler^*, and T. J. Edwards^†

Thermophysics Division, National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

J. B. Mehl

Physics Department, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716

R. S. Davis

Length and Mass Division, National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

^*Present address: Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom.
^†Present address: School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.