113 DIRECT PROPERTIES OF MOLECULES 315 



Lothar Meyer's assumed occupation of space by the 

 atoms. The volumes N = 7'7 and H = 3*0 are assumed, 

 and also = 12-2 in nitrous oxide and for one of the atoms 

 in sulphurous acid, but in all other cases = 7*8. 



Columns IV. and V. contain the values as calculated in 

 accordance with Loschmidt's assumptions. In them are 

 put 



S = 26, C = 14, Cl = 22-8, H = 3-5, 



and in Column IV. 



= 11, N = 13, 

 but in Column V. 



= 11, O a = 21, N = 12, CN = 28. 



The agreement of the last four columns with the first is 

 not complete, and indeed cannot be if the preceding con- 

 siderations are justified ; for here the sphere of action and 

 the molecular volume are treated as if the same thing, 

 whereas in reality the former is much the smaller. If the 

 theory were worked out with absolute accuracy, we should 

 have to deal with circumstances which depend not only on 

 the volume, but also on the section and shape of the mole- 

 cular system ; hence no perfect regularity of agreement can 

 show itself if the matter is treated one-sidedly as if the 

 volume alone determined the phenomena. 



But so many cases exhibit a surprisingly good agreement 

 that all idea of the agreement being accidental must be put 

 aside. One will agree with Lothar Meyer in deducing 

 from his figures that the atomic volumes of many elements 

 in their liquid combinations are proportional to the spaces 

 occupied by their atoms in the gaseous state. 



114. Influence of the Molecular Heat-motion in 

 Liquids on the Apparent Size of the Molecular 

 Volume 



One feels oneself tempted to go a step further in this 

 conclusion, and to assume that the volumes in the liquid and 

 gaseous states are not only proportional to, but identical 

 with, each other. Lothar Meyer did not consider this 

 conclusion justified, but he is of opinion that the molecular 



