Abstract
The breadths of reflections on x-ray powder diffraction photographs of thoria specimens prepared at different temperatures are examined. It is shown how, by using appropriate values of the Scherrer constant and a statistical treatment of the data, a mean crystallite shape, size and strain may be inferred. The results are compared with those obtained by electron microscopy and B.E.T. surface area measurements. The strain measurements are discussed and it is shown that the strain energy represents only a small fraction (0.1%) of the surface energy of the crystallites.

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