Empirical equations of state for solids

A comparison of three one-parameter empirical equations of state due to Lennard-Jones, Bardeen, and Birch using Bridgman's experimental compression data shows that they do not generally fit the data within experimental error. Heuristic arguments are used to derive a well known three-parameter equation of state which includes these equations as special cases. Several simple two-parameter equations of state, including the Murnaghan equation, can be obtained as special cases of the general form. All of these two-parameter equations are shown to fit Bridgman's data within experimental error with about equal success. It is also shown that the general three-parameter equation, and hence its special cases, is consistent with the observation of Grover, Getting, and Kennedy that the log of the bulk modulus of solids is a linear function of compression. Several of the two-parameter special cases are shown to give satisfactory extrapolations.