2G4 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



other is negatively electrical. This may, perhaps, also be the case in the 

 combination of two homogeneous atoms, as, for instance, of two oxygen 

 atoms, one of them becoming positively, and the other negatively elec- 

 trical. Inasmuch, now, as, by the oxidization of the phosphorus, the oxygen 

 doubtless enters into combination as the electro-negative constituent, it may 

 come to pass that, of the two oxygen atoms resulting from the splitting up 

 of a molecule, the negative one is that especially retained by the phosphorus, 

 and the positive one may be free to move away, or at least may be less 

 hindered from doing so. Even after such an atom, in the course of its 

 motions, and through contact with other molecules, or the walls of the ves- 

 sel, has lost its electro-positive state, thus becoming more adapted for com- 

 bination with the phosphorus, yet such combination cannot take place until 

 its motions bring it again into the sphere of action of the phosphorus. 



Certain remarkable phenomena in connection with ozonification by means 

 of phosphorus, have been observed. Thus, rarefied oxygen is more easily 

 ozouified than denser oxygen, and oxygen mixed with hydrogen or nitrogen 

 is more easily ozonified than when it is in the pure state. I believe that 

 probable, or at all events, possible, explanations may be given for many of 

 the secondary phenomena. I shall not discuss these, however, in this place. 



The circumstance which was mentioned before as being probable, that, 

 namely, in the combination of two oxygen atoms to a molecule, the two 

 atoms have opposite electrical states, may be made use of to explain certain 

 other phenomena. The fact that the ozone, which is formed in a quantity 

 of oxygen, does not disappear again in a short time of its own accord 

 through the formation of molecules by the recombination of the separated 

 atoms, may perhaps be due to the diminished tendency which such free 

 atoms have to combine, through the loss of their electrical condition; just 

 as oxygen, even when ozonified, may be mixed with hydrogen without com- 

 bination resulting. 



When ozonified oxygen is heated, the ozone is destroyed. This may per- 

 haps be explained by supposing that the high temperature determines the 

 combination of the separated oxygen atoms, just as it may that of oxygen 

 with hydrogen and other oxidizable bodies. 



Becquerel and Fremy have shown experimentally that the ozonification of 

 a given quantity of oxygen by electric sparks can only be caiTied to a cer- 

 tain extent if the ozone remain mixed with the oxygen; but if the ozone be 

 removed as soon as formed, for instance, by the oxidation of silver, the 

 whole of the oxygen may be gradually converted into ozone. This points 

 to the conclusion, that if too many separate atoms be contained in the gas, 

 they recombine with one another; and perhaps the electric sparks themselves 

 may have the power of exerting the inverse effect under altered circum- 

 stances; that is, they may assist the combination of separated atoms in the 

 same manner as they can determine the combination of oxygen and hydrogen. 



Let us now consider some of the effects of ozone. 



The principal action, namely, the strongly oxidizing power, may be con- 

 sidered as self-evident, after the description of ozone given ; for it is clear 

 that separated oxygen atoms can more easily enter into combination with 

 foreign bodies than such as are already combined with one another, two and 

 two, and which must be first freed from such combination before they can 

 be in a state fit for combination with other substances. 



In this respect ozone is comparable with oxygen in the nascent state, with 

 the exception that with the latter the electrical condition must be taken into 



