University of Tennessee
Department of Chemical Engineering



Thermodynamics - The Bridgman Tables

P.W. Bridgman frequently required thermodynamic derivatives for single component materials. He constructed a table by which he could methodically calculate these derivatives. They are called, naturally enough, the Bridgman Tables.

  • When you have a Pressure Explicit Equation of State and Cp (constant-pressure heat capacity) use this Bridgman Table.
  • When you have a Pressure Explicit Equation of State and Cv (constant-volume heat capacity) use this Bridgman Table.
  • When you have a Volume Explicit Equation of State and Cp (constant-pressure heat capacity) use this Bridgman Table.
  • When you have a Volume Explicit Equation of State and Cv (constant-volume heat capacity), you will have to make your own Bridgman Table.
  • Examples of how to use the Bridgman Tables

A warning regarding the Bridgman Tables: The relations given in the table have no meaning outside of these tables. These relations should be used only to obtain thermodynamic partial derivatives. Second, these relations will always yield a correct thermodynamic partial derivative. However, it may not be the most convenient form of the partial derivative.

The Bridgman Tables Convenient for Volume Explicit Equations of State are taken from P.W. Bridgman, "The Thermodynamics of Electrical Phenomena in Metals and a Condensed Collection of Thermodynamic Formulas", Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1961, pp. 207-241.

David Keffer would like to acknowledge Professor Arnold G. Fredrickson in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota for first bringing the existence of the Bridgman Tables to his attention.

If you discover typographical errors in these tables, please email me.


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