292 WHAT IS LIFE 



to the equivalent weight of the substance, and is the 

 same for all electrolytes. This quantity (termed a 

 Faraday, or the Faraday constant, symbol F) is equal 

 to 96,494 Coulomb, or 9,649.4 C. G. S. (or absolute 

 electromagnetic) units. 



Flocculation. "The coalescence of the suspended 

 particles of a disperse system into particles or ag- 

 gregates of much larger size which settle out." See 

 Disperse System. 



Gamete. The germ-cells that unite in fertili- 

 zation. 



Gas Law. The law that at constant temperatures 

 the product of the pressure and volume of a given 

 quantity of gas is a constant. The volume varies 

 inversely as the pressure. (Boyle's Law.) For the 

 same change in temperature, the change in volume 

 is the same for all gases. (Charles's Law. The Law 

 of Gay-Lussac.) See Osmotic Pressure, van't Hoff 

 Factor i, and Avogadro's Constant. 



Gibbs's Phase Rule. A general law that governs 

 equilibria in heterogeneous systems. It states that 

 "the number of degrees of freedom of a system is 

 equal to the number of its components plus two, 

 minus the number of phases in which it exists." It 

 was enunciated in 1874 by Josiah Willard Gibbs. 



Gland. An organ the function of which is to re- 

 move specific constituents from the blood, either as 

 an excretion or as a secretion (as the kidneys, the 

 liver, the sebaceous and gastric glands, etc.). Duct- 

 less glands (as the thyroid gland, the suprarenal 

 body, etc.) resemble true glands. 



Gram-atom. The atomic weight of an element 

 stated in grams. 



Gram-molecule. The molecular weight of an ele- 

 ment or compound given in grams. See Molecular 

 Weight. 



