120 
When we now consider the case that an unattackable electrode 
is placed in an electrolyte, chlorine being led through, we get the 
same thing in so far that the electron concentration of the metal 
equilibrium in the electrolyte is entirely dominated by the electron 
concentration of the chlorine equilibrium: 
CIAO ee el 82) 
in agreemeut with the pressure of the chlorine that is led tbrough, 
from which follows that the chlorine-gas phase and the chlorine- 
containing metal phase will possess the same potential with respect 
to the electrolyte. Our more recent views about the electromotive 
equilibria lead to the assumption of an electro-ionisation equilibrium 
in chlorine gas, though the concentration of ions and electrons in 
this gas-phase is exceedingly small. That there exists such an electro- 
ionisation for chlorine, is proved by the exceedingly slight electrical 
conductivity. Now, however, the above mentioned equilibrium (2) 
does not suffice, for in electrically neutral chlorine this equilibrium 
cannot occur alone, because here there is only question of particles 
charged negatively electrically. Besides the chlorine electrode could 
not assume a positive charge with respect to the electrolyte. 
Undoubtedly this difficulty has also been felt in the former view 
about the electromotive equilibrium. The negative charge which zine 
assumes on immersion into an electrolyte was explained as follows: 
The zine tends to go into solution as zinc-ion, and it has evidently 
always been imagined that this happened through a s¢multaneous 
splitting up of the zinc-atom into zinc-ion + electrons, in which, 
however, the zinc-ions only went into solution, and the negatively 
charged electrons remained on the metal. 
When we wish to account for the positive charge which the chlorine 
electrode assumes with respect to an electrolyte in an analogous 
way, we get into serious difficulties, which have led to the assumption 
by some physicists that besides the free negatively charged electrons 
there exist also free positively charged electrons, and that these could 
render important services for the chlorine electrode and for the other 
non-metal electrodes. For just as the splitting up 
Zn Zn +20 
was assumed when the zinc went into solution, the process 
Cl, 2Cl + 2D 
was supposed to take place at the chlorine electrode when chlorine 
went into solution. The chlorine ions formed go into solution and 
the positive electrons would be left behind in the chlorine electrode 
