: 1140 
one should confuse bj, and b,. It is, however, very easy to see 
that the pressure equal to infinitely great can occur when v = 6, 
but that this is not the case for 6 = 6,. Then for spherical molecules 
vo wold 
Be n 
line which divides the angle between the v and the 6 axes into two 
equal parts, but in the line which makes a much smaller angle 
. And so the final point of the 4-curve does not lie in the 
1 
with the v-axis, the tangent of which is about equal Lys or about 
0,74. 
I have questioned myself whether I can account for the result at 
which I have arrived. Especially the existence of 6/;,, and the relation 
of this quantity to the existence of groups of molecutes which simul- 
taneously, four at a time, collide, or at any rate are so close together 
that the space between them may be considered as zero. And though 
there are still numerous questions to which the answer cannot yet 
be given, and there is therefore reason to hesitate before publishing 
the foregoing, yet the considerations which result from this question 
have given me the courage which might else have failed me. 
How large is the space allowed to the motion for molecules with 
dimension? The external volume must be diminished 1 by a volume 
at the wall. The centres of the molecules cannot reach the wall, 
but must remain at a distance =7. Hence if O is the area of the 
wall, a volume = Or must be subtracted from the motion. 2. the 
centres cannot reach the surface of the molecules, but must remain 
at a distance =r. Then a volume = 0’r would have to be deducted, 
if O’ is the area of the joint molecules, and so it would be the 
same thing if the molecules bad a radius = 2r. But then if the 
molecule A collides with the molecule 5, we have counted the space 
that is to be deducted, twice, both for A and for B. Of course the 
space to be deducted mentioned under 2 greatly preponderates on 
account of the great number of molecules. 
But the occurrence of collisions is a reason for 5, to be diminished. 
If a molecule strikes against the wall or if a molecule approaches 
the wall so closely that there is no room for another to pass, two 
parts of the space inaccessible to the motion overlap, and hence the 
extent of the inaccessible space diminishes. This is also applicable 
for the collisions of the molecules inter se. If two molecules are 
so close together that a third cannot pass between, part of the space 
which is inaccessible to the 3'¢ molecule overlaps, and 6 is diminished. 
The greater the number of collisions, so the smaller the volume, 
the more 6 is diminished. Whether also the temperature has influence 
