Chapter I molecular and ionic interactions in dielectrics

The method of the correlation parameter of Kirkwood has been applied to the derivation of the local field in liquids¹. Onsager´s formula for the dielectric constant was obtained on the basis of a point dipole model superimposed on a rigid molecular sphere assuming a uniform radial distribution outside the sphere. Alternatively, on assuming a lattice structure, Van Vleck´s formula was derived.