IN STUDYING QUESTIONS OF CHEMICAL MECHANICS. 323 
posed, are not known separately, but their analytical expression 
is deduced from the two equations to which we have subjected 
them generally. For we have 
ae = = P, = Pp i = 
Eliminating P, and P, by these expressions, our resulting equa- 
tion takes the following form :— 
{(v+1) [4], —[¢]} E_ «(P+ E) 
08 hear ae Poot pgs * (5.) 
Supposing, as we do, that the experiment is always performed 
at the same temperature, [a] will be constant from the iden- 
tity of condition which the active substance to which it be- 
longs maintains. [a], will also be constant, from the identity 
of composition of the new groups, completely saturated, which 
the portion P, of E is supposed to form with the inactive liquid. 
Lastly, the multiple » will be likewise constant, since the 
proportion in which the combination takes place is that of 
complete saturation. Consequently, when the division of the 
active substance shall take place as we suppose, if the experi- 
_ ment be repeated for different values of P and of E at the con- 
stant temperature adopted, the numerical value of the function 
Ese i al should be variable, as the ordinate of a right line of 
which ta is the abscissa; and this experiment, which is easily 
r 
made, will show with certainty whether the supposed division of 
the active substance takes place or not in the systems under 
consideration. The application of this form is limited by the 
conditions of the supposition itself, that is to say, when the weight 
E of the inactive liquid suffices to saturate P entirely. Then 
the free portion of P, which we have designated by P,, becomes 
null, which gives 
E 
consequently 
K=nP. 
On substituting this particular value of E in our general equa- 
tion, [«] disappears, as well as the multiple x, and there remains 
