SYSTEMS INTERMEDIATE 383 



solutions is greater than that of ordinary electrolytes, at high concen- 

 trations the temperature coefficient is markedly lower. 8 At a dilution 

 V 0.18, the temperature coefficient is approximately 0.17%. It is 

 evident that at higher concentrations the value of the temperature coef- 

 ficient decreases as the concentration increases. In the neighborhood of 

 the saturation point, the coefficient is not far from zero, and, were it 

 possible to prepare solutions having higher concentrations, it might be 

 expected that the temperature coefficient would even become negative 

 as it is in metals. 8 * 



These data on the temperature coefficient of the metal solutions in 

 liquid ammonia serve further to differentiate these solutions from solu- 

 tions of ordinary electrolytes. The behavior of the very concentrated 

 solutions clearly indicates an intimate relation between these solutions 

 and ordinary metallic conductors. The properties of the metal solutions 

 in liquid ammonia, therefore, supply abundant evidence to the effect 

 that conduction in metals is due to the motion of a negative carrier of 

 sub-atomic dimensions, which carrier is the same for all metals. Since 

 the only carrier of sub-atomic dimensions which has been observed is the 

 negative electron, we may infer that the effective carrier in metals, as 

 in these solutions, is the negative electron. 



8 Observations by Dr. W. W. Lucasse in the Author's Laboratory. 



8 Since this was written, the temperature coefficient of sodium in liquid ammonia 

 has been determined by Dr. Lucasse from a dilution F = 1.7 up to the saturation point 

 The coefficient for the saturated solution is 0.067%. As the concentration decreases, the 

 temperature coefficient increases decidedly reaching a maximum of 3.65% at V = 1 06 

 after which it decreases more slowly, falling to 2.47% at V = 1.7. 



