134 SIR WILLIAM EAMSAY 



temperatures was being investigated by Professor C. 

 Olszewski of Cracow, to whom a supply of the gas had 

 been sent. Towards the end of November the prepara- 

 tion of M.S. began, and by this time it appears that the 

 name argon had been adopted, in reference to the 

 chemical inactivity of the new element. 



The story was communicated to the Royal Society on 

 31st January, 1895, and in anticipation of the large 

 attendance of Fellows and visitors a special meeting 

 was arranged in the theatre of the London University 

 in Burlington Gardens. The President, Lord Kelvin, 

 was in the chair, and no one who was present on the 

 occasion will be likely to forget the excitement with 

 which the large audience received from Lord Rayleigh 

 and Professor. Ramsay the details of their joint work 

 and an account of the strange properties of the new gas. 

 As everyone now knows, argon is a gas having a density 

 represented by 20 1 when that of oxygen is 16, hydrogen 

 being the unit. It refuses to enter into combination or 

 to exhibit any chemical change, when heated to the 

 highest temperatures in contact with the most active 

 elements such as sodium, phosphorus, oxygen, or fluorine 

 and therefore differs from every previously known sub- 

 stance. It liquefies under pressure and cold, yielding a 

 colourless liquid which boils at about 187 C. and 

 solidifies to a crystalline mass resembling ice. From 

 the velocity of sound in the gas it is inferred that the 

 molecules of argon, like those of mercury, consist of one 



1 Strictly 19-94. 



