54 Laraior, Physical Aspect of tJic Atoiinc Theory. 



make a difference in the direction actually occurrinCT^ 

 whenever the concentration of ions c is considerable. 

 Moreover, the spheres of mutual electric influence of ions 

 are far greater than those of molecules, which may also 

 make a difference. 



It is, however, to be noticed that in the discussion 

 above of the ordinary association of a substance ABC, 

 this type of action, in which e.g. a component C acts in a 

 special manner in breaking up a component ^Z?, has been 

 excluded. The presence of such actions in which more 

 than one cause contributes to the result would seem hard 

 to adapt to the usual thermodynamic theory involving as 

 we have seen independent binary stages of reaction. 



