410 



Mr. W. H. Pendlebury and Miss M. Seward. 



are formed. If the action is a complete one, all the potassium 

 chlorate will be converted into chloric acid and potassium chloride 

 formed in corresponding amount. There is a good deal of evidence 

 in favour of the completeness of the decomposition in the cases we 

 have investigated. Indeed it is perhaps to be expected a priori that 

 when a stronger acid, such as our hydrochloric, is in great excess, it 

 might entirely turn the weaker acid out of combination. If this be 

 the case, it follows that in this reaction also the reacting substances 

 are, as before, chloric and hydrochloric acid, and that potassium 

 chloride is present as a " neutral " substance. At any rate, however, 

 this compound is present to some extent in the mixture. To deter- 

 mine its effect mixtures of hydrogen chlorate and chloride were 

 made, and to them quantities of potassium chloride in arithmetical 

 progression were added, and the effect on the rate observed. The 

 following tables show the results obtained : 



Table Y. 



Table YI. 



The effect of potassium chloride in the mixture is thus an 

 accelerating one, and takes place in accordance with the formula 

 already mentioned, the rates increasing in arithmetical progression 

 approximately as the quantity of salt present is similarly increased. 

 If RM, is the rate with a quantity w of potassium chloride, 



where A and C are quantities independent of w ; and a. is the co- 

 efficient of action ; and A x C = E = rate without potassium 

 chloride. 



