  The liquid-gas phase transition for homogeneous symmetric nuclear matter is
studied in the mean-field approximation. Critical properties are computed using
a comprehensive group of Skyrme and Gogny forces in an effort to elucidate the
effective interaction dependence of the results. Analytical models for the
thermodynamical and critical properties are discussed and compared to an
extensive set of mean-field data. In agreement with these models, a tight
correlation is found between the flashing and the critical points. Accurate
predictions for the critical temperature, based on saturation properties, can
only be obtained after the density dependence of the effective mass is properly
taken into account. While the thermodynamical properties coming from different
mean-fields do not follow a law of corresponding states, the critical exponents
for all the mean-fields have been found to be the same. Their values coincide
with those predicted by the Landau mean-field theory of critical phenomena.
