342 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 



doubt can exist as to the probable production of the 

 missing members. The most complete of the series is 

 given in the Appendix. Several of its more simple 

 members may be produced by the action of nitric acid 

 upon those higher in the scale. The acid has the effect 

 of burning out part of their carbon and hydrogen, and 

 thus reducing the relative proportion of their constitu- 

 ents. 



865. PROGRESSION OF PROPERTIES. 



What is said 



of the relation There is also a similar progression of pro- 



~ P ertieS in the SerieS ' The earlier men l- 



bers of the alcohol series are highly vol- 

 atile liquids; the later are solids at ordinary tempera- 

 tures. Each increase of the relative properties of car- 

 bon and hydrogen produces a substance which is more 

 fixed. In other words, the boiling point is higher for 

 each successive member. The difference for each is 

 about 34 F. The density of the vapors increases by 

 a similar law. It is thus possible to predict, with accu- 

 racy, the boiling point and density of vapor in members 

 of the series which have not yet been discovered. 



866. RADICALS NOT ISOLATED. The 



Have all or- . 



ganic radicals larger part of the organic radicals have not 

 been isolated? yet ^een isolated. They are only known 

 in their compounds, and the belief in their existence 

 rests on the reasoning which has been given in a previ- 

 ous paragraph. This is regarded by chemists as abun- 

 dantly sufficient for giving them names and places 

 among chemical compounds. It is still, however, to 

 be borne in mind, that the reasoning is not of the nature 

 of absolute demonstration. 



