1497 
(O(M 8) q 
P he eee Se ee aS 
pi (Orr) en 
Now it should be stated here that the equations (17a) and (18a) 
always hold whether or no the coexisting metal and liquid phases 
are in internal equilibrium. 
Equation (39) says therefore that whether the coexisting phases 
are in internal equilibrium or not, the quotient of the products of 
the concentrations of electrons and metal ions in the metal and in 
the coexisting liquid is a constant quantity at constant temperature 
and pressure. 
This equation (39) is of use to us in answering the question what 
will happen when the metal is anodically dissolved and the reaction 
MaM +0 
does not proceed quickly enough. so that through the electrons being 
led off and the metal ions going into solution, the metal becomes 
poorer in both electric components. In this we must keep in view 
that these processes take place in such a way that the metal ions 
and the electrons in the metal always electrically neutralize each 
other with the exception of an exceedingly small fraction. 
We may, therefore, say that when the electron concentration (4s) 
becomes z-times smaller, the same thing will happen with the metal- 
ion-concentration (Ms). It is further clear that the circumstances 
may easily be chosen so that the metal-ion-concentration in the liquid 
(Mz) remains practically constant, from which then follows in con- 
nection with equation (39) that the electron-concentration in the 
liquid (//) must become n?-times as small. 
Thus we arrive at the conclusion that a decrease of the electron 
concentration in the metal is attended with a still greater decrease 
of the electron concentration in the coexisting quid. 
Now that this has once been established, we can, with application 
of the equations (17a) and (18a) immediately give an answer to the 
question in what way the potential difference will change when the 
concentration of the metal ions and electrons diminishes in conse- 
quence of the ionisation proceeding too slowly as has been supposed 
here. It follows from (17a) that when the concentration of the metal 
ions in the metal (M/s) becomes smaller, the potential difference will 
become less negative or positive. 
The influence of a change of the electron concentration follows 
from equation (18a). If the electron concentration in the metal 
diminishes, then as we saw before, the electron concentration in the 
