ELECTROLYTIC DISSOCIATION: A REVIEW OP 

 THE HYPOTHESIS OP SVANTE ARRHENIUS l 



IN 1857, almost simultaneously, Williamson and Clausius 

 put forward the hypothesis that, in the fluid state at least, the 

 molecules of compounds are not stable, in the sense that they 

 are persisting aggregations of the identical molecules which 

 originally united to form them; on the contrary, it was as- 

 sumed that these molecules in so far resemble living organ- 

 isms that, while the external appearance remains unchanged, 

 the constituents are constantly being cast off and replaced 

 by new ones of the same kind, so that there must always be a 

 few molecules in a state of dissociation. This hypothesis has 

 been favorably regarded as an explanation of the possibility 

 of the coexistence of two opposing reactions, like those of 

 etherification and saponification, where it is left to the chance 

 encounter of molecules to occasion the existence of water and 

 ether, or of alcohol and acid; it has likewise been regarded 

 as a plausible explanation of the readiness with which an 

 electrolyte will obey the influence of currents so feeble that 

 their energy should not suffice to decompose a single mole- 

 cule whose atoms were held together by their full chemical 

 attraction. But when, six years ago, the attempt was made 

 by Arrhenius to give a quantitative expression to the hypoth- 

 esis and to apply it to the explanation of all the anomalies ob- 

 served in the physical behavior of solutions, much latent 

 hostility was called forth, and a general discussion was aroused, 

 which has continued until the present time. It appears, how- 

 ever, to the reviewer that a point has now been reached 

 where the burden of proof should rest upon the opponents 



1 Reprinted from Am. Chem. Journ. 12, 506 (1890). 



