408 CAUSE OF INFLUENCE OF IONS. I 



4. We must, furthermore, conclude that in lower concentrations of 

 many electrolytes the density of electrification of the double layer in- 

 creases with an increase in concentration, while in higher concentra- 

 tions of the same electrolytes it decreases with an increase in concen- 

 tration. The turning point lies for a number of electrolytes at a 

 molecular concentration of about m/5 12 or m/256. This explains why 

 in lower concentrations of electrolytes the rate of diffusion of water 

 through a collodion membrane from pure water into solution rises at 

 first rapidly with an increase in concentration while beyond a certain 

 concentration (which in a number of electrolytes is m/5 12 or m/256) 

 the rate of diffusion of water diminishes with a further increase in 

 concentration. 



