Measurement of heat conductivity of monoatomic potassium vapor (700-1700K) and determination of sup(3)Σsub(g)sup(+) interaction potential of two potassium atoms

Thermal conductivity of lambda monoatomic potassium vapour in the 700-1700 K temperature range is measured. The heated filament method has been used, the device operated under the thermal tube regime ensuring stable experimental conditions. A new technique of results processing in which the dependence of heat flow on temperature is approximated by means of interaction potentials between potassium atoms is employed. The interaction potential of two atoms in triplet basic state by means of minimization of imbalance between measured and calculated heat flow values is determined. The recommended parameters of purely repulsion power and exponential sup(3)Σsub(g)sup(+) interaction potentials are given