CARBONIC ACID 137 



the gas pressure^ is one atmosphere. Accord- 

 ing to the law of Henry, however, the absorp- 

 tion of the gas is always proportional to its 



Table of Absorption Coefficients at 0° 



Oxygen 0.01!) 



Hydrogen 0.0*1 



Nitrogen 0.0*1 



Carbon monoxide 0.035 



Carbon dioxide 1.797 



Sulphurous oxide 79.79 



Ammonia 1299 



partial pressure in the atmosphere, and there- 

 fore the absorption coefficient measures the 

 ratio, after equilibrium has been attained, 

 between the concentration of a substance in 

 solution and in the gaseous state, no matter 

 what that concentration may be. 



The absorption coefficient is not constant 

 under all circumstances, and varies especially 

 with the temperature. 



Table of Absorption Coefficients of C0 2 



Temperature Absorption Coefficient 



0° 1.797 



10° 1.185 



20° 0.901 



37.29° 0.563 



100° 0.2 44 



It will be seen from the tables that, differ- 

 ing from most gases, carbon dioxide has an 

 absorption coefficient nearly equal to one, and 



