172 On Ozone. 



with the atmosphere, and the consequent reaction or disengagement 

 of oxygen. 



It is probable that oxygen may be modified more readily by 

 electric action than any other gas, and it has been shown by Be- 

 querel, Faraday and others, that it may be rendered magnetic. 



Ozone is colourless, possessing a peculiar odor, resembling 

 chlorine, and when diluted, cannot be distinguished from the 

 electrical smell. Its density, according to Andrew & Tate, is said 

 to be four times that of Gxygen. It is a most powerful oxydizing 

 agent, converting most of the metals into peroxides, it is very 

 slightly absorbed by water after long contact, — a very high tem- 

 perature destroys its properties, — it possesses bleaching properties, 

 hence its affinity to chlorine; it combines with chlorine, bromine, 

 and iodine. It is rapidly absorbed by albumen, fibrine, blood, &c 

 It is a most powerful disinfectant, and when largely diffused in 

 atmospheric air causes difficult respiration, acting powerfully on 

 the mucous membrane, and in still larger quantities may become 

 fatal. 



During the past year, Schonbein has been actively engaged on 

 the modifications of oxygen, and is of opinion that there are two 

 kinds of (allotropic) modifications of active oxygen, standing to 

 each other in the relation of positive and negative, and that there 

 are a positive active and negative active oxygen — an ozone and 

 an ant-ozone which in being brought together neutralize each other. 



Clausius has endeavoured to account for the relation of volume 

 existing between simple and compound gases, by the assumption 

 that in simple gases several atoms are combined to form one 

 molecule of oxygen, that for instance one molecule of oxygen 

 consists of two atoms of oxygen, and is of opinion that under special 

 circumstances it may happen that among the number of molecules 

 in a given quantity of oxygen some may be decomposed into se- 

 parate atoms. These would differ in their relations towards other 

 substances, from those combined into molecules, and he considers 

 these uncombined atoms are Ozone. 



Fortunately its presence, both in the state produced artificially 

 in the laboratory, and also in the atmosphere, is easily detected. 

 Its rapid production, its peculiar smell and other properties, ren- 

 der it somewhat less difficult to investigate than many other 

 substances. We purpose more especially to consider its na- 

 ture and influence in reference to Meteorology and its influence on 

 animals and plants. 



(To be continued.) 



