The continuum equations for a dilute particle distribution in inhomogeneous turbulence are tested against results from a Langevin particle tracking simulation. Reeks' version of the kinetic theory is used to generate the mass, momentum and kinetic stress equations for the particle distribution. The particle tracking data are used to directly evaluate the dispersion tensors lambda and mu which serve as closure relations for the continuum equations. These exact forms are compared to approximate, local forms. Even for low Stokes numbers (corresponding to low particle inertia defined by tau/tau p >> 1), the tensor;. is strongly affected by the inhomogeneity and depends on turbulence parameters in the volume corresponding to the particle path dispersion over the particle Lagrangian integral timescale tau. In contrast, the locally homogeneous form of the velocity dispersion tensor p is a sufficient approximation, since it depends on the dispersion volume over the much smaller particle relaxation time tau(p). It is demonstrated that the body force due to the dispersion vector cannot be neglected. In the limit of passive tracers (zero stopping distance), gamma is equal to the gradient of;., if the physical setting is such that we can invoke constant tracer density in this limit. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.