254 RATIO o : H. 



If we have several determinations, can we take simply 

 the quotient of the means ? 



Hardly. In the present case, we found even the means 

 changing during the progress of the work of Morley. 



His oxygen became gradually heavier, his hydrogen 

 gradually decidedly lighter; see pp. 248 and 250. 



Accordingly, the ratio O : H has grown greater as Morley 

 became more expert by practice. 



If Morley had kept up the work, there is no telling how 

 much this ratio would have grown. 



Let us see, as to his means. 

 Earliest Series : 



Oxygen, Series I 1428.79 mgr. 



Hydrogen " II 89.97 " 



giving the ratio O : H = 15.881 

 and for O =ri6 exactly, H = 1.0075. 



Last Series: 



Oxygen, Series III 1429.17 mgr. 



Hydrogen, V 89.87 " 



giving the ratio O : H = 15.902 



and for O = 16 exactly, H 1.0061. 



Here we have an actual increase of the ratio from 15.88 

 to 15.90 and a corresponding diminution of the atomic 

 weight of hydrogen from 1.008 to 1.006, stopping at the third 

 place. 



Now if, on the means, Morley gradually weighed oxygen 

 so much heavier and hydrogen so much lighter, that he 

 reduced the excess of the atomic weight from 8 to 6 thou- 

 sandths, how long would he have had to keep training and 

 improving in skill, to reduce this excess to nothing, and 

 prove H = i exactly? 



We shall not undertake to answer this question. 



But we shall again turn to the actual results of Morley. 

 This time the absolute extremes will be called for. 



It is, of course, understood that we dare not touch one of 

 these determinations of Morley. They are made by a mas- 

 ter, all of them. Sometimes the very extremes are nearest 

 the truth, as we have repeatedly found. 



