THE FINAL RESULT AND SUMMARY. 65 



Attention is now directed to a more important matter, namely, the effect 

 of the new experimental result upon the table of atomic weights. This is 

 quickly stated: The newly advocated low atomic weight of nitrogen is 

 incompatible with the ratio 100.000 : 157.479, if silver is taken as 107.930. 

 If on the other hand, the new atomic weight of nitrogen is the true one, 

 silver must have a much lower value than this. 



The exact figures are given in the following table : 



The Atomic Weight of Nitrogen. 



* 



If Ag = 107.930, AgNO 3 = 169.907 and N = 14.037 



If Ag = 107.890, AgNO 3 = 169.904 and N = 14.014 



If Ag= 107.883, AgNO 3 = 169.893 and N = 14.010 



If Ag = 107.880, AgNO 3 = 169.888 and N = 14.008 



This series of conditional statements contains in a nutshell the result of 

 the present investigation. In order to decide between the alternatives, 

 other compounds must be further studied, especially the chlorates and the 

 ammonium salts. Investigations in both of these directions have already 

 been begun in the Chemical Laboratory of Harvard College. 



SUMMARY. 



Argentic nitrate was made from pure silver, and the gain in weight was 

 carefully noted. 



In the course of the work, a new and convenient apparatus for quantita- 

 tive evaporation was devised. Quartz flasks were used as a part of it. 



The argentic nitrate was fused until constant in weight; it was care- 

 fully tested for dissolved air, retained water and ammonia, and nitric and 

 nitrous acids. Only the second and third of these impurities could be 

 detected by tests proved to be adequate, and these only in mere traces, 

 between 0.001 and 0.002 per cent in all. 



The outcome was that 100.000 parts of pure silver produced 157.479 

 parts of argentic nitrate. If, then, silver is taken as 107.93, nitrogen must 

 be 14.037 ; or if silver is taken as 107.880, nitrogen must be 14.008, oxygen 

 being 16.000. 



