1115 
done against repulsive forces; the transitional state possesses there- 
fore a maximum of potential energy. | 
As is known when molecules draw near to each other attraction 
takes place; this led us to expect in our previous paper that the 
transitional state would possess a minimum potential energy. As 
appears from the above consideration at such a distance that the 
«kritische Rénme’ invade each other, the repulsive forces out- 
balance the attractive forces and oppose therefore the invasion of 
the sphere of action. 
A similar conclusion concerning the energy of the transitional 
states occurs already in Travtz’s first papers. He imagined that the 
transitional state consists of free atoms. It is then clear that this 
state contains more energy tuan the initial and the final state, since 
heat will be required for dissociation into atoms. That TrAvrz makes 
this resolution take place at the absolute zero does not involve an 
essential modification. For this question is in close relation to the 
question whether it is allowed with regard to these transitional states 
to speak of specific heats, or what is the same thing of a mean 
value of energy at a certain temperature. And so far as is known 
the difference of temperature between the reaction temperature and 
the absolute zero generally causes no reversal of the sign of chemical 
heat-effects. 
2. Before entering into a discussion of the energy and entropy 
values of the transitional states, I shall insert here some considera- 
tions on the energy and entropy differences between the systems 
before and after the reaction, referring to a paper on gas-equilibria 
that has appeared earlier in these Proceedings’). The algebraic sum 
of the entropies of the substances participating in a gas-reaction was 
represented in the cited paper by : 
Tr 
Bn Antik Sf par—R nine. Sh nha) 
— 
1 
If we join the first two terms of the second member of equation 
8, and represent it by =n//.—. (the entropy free from concentration) 
this equation passes into : 
Zell = Sn RSE eet 8) 
According to the cited paper the equilibrium condition for the 
gas mixture is: 
1) These Proc. Dec. 1911. p. 748. 
