BERNARD L. STREHLER 



247 



to the energy prerequisite to the emission of a light quantum. Thus: 



b.Fi"hv > 1 or AF/hv < 1 

 but 



(AF^ + AF)/hv > 1 



(2) The second premise is that partial reactions will proceed irre- 

 spective of the source of the reactants (if they are thermodynamically 

 possible ) , whether the reactants are chemically or thermally generated. 



(3) The third premise is that the first premise does not violate the 

 first or second law of thermodynamics, since not all of the energy in 

 liv is available to do work. 



Mechanism 



Consider a reaction: 



ROH + XH2 ^ RH + H2O + X + hv 

 or 



ROH + XH2 -^ RH + H2O + X + AF^ 

 in which the partial reactions are: 



1. ROH + heat->R- + -OH 



2. R- +XH2^ -XH + RH 



3. -OH + -XH ^ X + HOH + (heat or hv) 



The reactions are diagrammed in Fig. 16. 



^•♦•OH^XHz. 



RH ♦ ;c >- HOH 





Fig. 16. 



