XXX CARNEGIE INSTITUTION 



L. n. Dennis, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y, Grant No. 42. 



For investigation of the rare earths. ' $1,000. 



Professor Dennis has been engaged for the past ten years in the 

 study of the rare earths, and has accumulated a large amount of 

 purified material. He proposed to carry on a study with special 

 reference to improvements in the methods for determining the atomic 

 masses of these substances, and for separating the elements of the 

 yttrium group. 



Abstract of Report. — The work under this grant was carried on by 

 Dr. Benton Dales in the laborator}^ of Professor Dennis, of Cornell 

 University. 



Dr. Dales has submitted a report on the ammonium carbonate and 

 acetic acid method of fractionation. The source of the rare earths 

 used in the work was xenotime, essentially a phosphate of the yttrium 

 group of earths from Brazil. The work is unfinished, owing to 

 Dr. Dales having resigned his position at Cornell University before 

 completing it. Three-fourths of the grant was used. A paper 

 containing the results of the investigation, as far as obtained, was 

 transmitted for publication. 



H. C. Jones, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. Grant 

 No. 39. For iiivestigations in physical chemistry . $1,000. 



Abstract of Report. — Under the direction of Professor Jones, Dr. 

 F. H. Gatman began work October i, 1903, by investigating certain 

 apparently abnormal phenomena manifested b3^ concentrated solu- 

 tions of electrolytes in water and other solvents. They expect to 

 be able to report considerable progress by the end of the year. 



H. N. Morse, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. Grant 

 No. 34. For researches on osmotic pressure. $1,500. 



Abstract of Report. — Professor Morse reports that the immediate 

 problem to be solved was the development of a practical method for 

 measuring osmotic pressure. Although osmotic pressure has been 

 recognized for twenty five years as one of the great forces of nature, 

 there have been no direct measurements to furnish an adequate 

 experimental basis for the laws supposed to govern it. Professor 

 Morse has been engaged for several years in attempting to overcome 

 the difficulties which lie in the way of quantitative measurements 

 of osmotic pressure. He states the problem under three heads, as 

 follows : 



