On the Thermodynamic Relation between Surface Tension and Curvature

From the Gibbs theory of surface tension general equations are deduced for the change of surface tension with curvature in the system having an arbitrary number of components but no insoluble surface film. For the special case that the surface layer is spherical, the equations are shown to be reducible, by an appropriate choice of auxiliary Gibbs surfaces, to a simple form identical with that recently found by Tolman for the system of one component. Some of the consequences of physical interest following from the equation for the spherical surface layer are pointed out.