12 4 ON THE NEW GASES — 



has a great afifinity for nitrogen, but argon does not combine with 

 it. Berthelot states however that, under the influence of a silent 

 electrical discharge, argon will combine with benzene vapour. Argon 

 prepared by both the oxygen and magnesium methods has about 

 the same solubility in water as oxygen, and is 2^ times as soluble as 

 nitrogen. The fact that argon is more soluble in water than nitrogen 

 would lead one to expect an increased proportion of it in the dis- 

 solved gases of rain-water, and this has been proved by experiment. 

 The spectrum of argon has been examined carefully by Mr. 

 Crookes, and is different to that of any known element. The 

 light of the electrical discharge in argon is under some circumstances 

 red, and under others blue. The density of argon has been 

 determined, and found to be 19-9. The ratio of the specific 

 heats of argon as determined by Prof. Ramsay is represented by 

 the number i'65, which is very close to the theoretical limit i-66. 

 Hence it follows that argon is monatomic. The presence of argon 

 in the atmosphere has also been proved by atmolysis. The 

 atmolyser used was made by combining a number of church- 

 warden tobacco pipes. These were enclosed in a glass tube so 

 arranged that the outsides of the tobacco pipes could be kept 

 in a partial vacuum. Air was drawn slowly through by means of 

 a bottle aspirator filled with water, and so regulated that only 

 two per cent, of the air entering the pipes reached the outlet. 

 The residual gas, after the removal of oxygen and water, was 

 found to be considerably heavier than atmospheric nitrogen. 



Argon is not present in the nitrogen derived from chemical 

 sources. To show this fifteen litres of nitrogen prepared from 

 ammonium nitrite were treated in exactly the same manner 

 as the atmospheric nitrogen by the oxygen method. The 

 residue amounted to 3'5 c c, whereas if atmospheric nitrogen had 

 been used it would have been 150 c.c. But if chemical nitrogen 

 contains no argon how is it that there were 3*5 c.c. of argon left ? 

 The source of this is to be sought for in the large quantities of 

 water used in the manipulation of the large amount of gas under 

 treatment. Argon is somewhat soluble in water, and, during the 

 process, no doubt some of it will be evolved. 



Argon has been liquified and even solidified by Prof. Olszewski. 

 The sample of gas which he experimented with was very pure, and 



