ON ELECTROLYSIS AND ELECTRO-CHEMISTRY. 33 



and the full results published in the ' Philosophical Transactions of the 

 Royal Society of London,' series A, vol. cxciv. 1900, p. 321. Curves and 

 tables are given showing the values obtained for the ionisation. The 

 measurements of the freezing points of the same solutions, undertaken by 

 Mr. Griffiths, are still in progress. It is hoped that his results will soon 

 be ready, and that a useful comparison of the two lines of research may 

 then be made. 



The consumption of a carbon anode in electrolysis has formed the 

 subject of some experiments by another member of the Committee, 

 Mr. Skinner. 1 Carbofa electrodes are used in many electrotechhical 

 processes, and their solution and disintegration forto one of the chief 

 difficulties to be overcome. It appears that -v^rhenever a highly oxidised 

 product undergoes electrolytic deicotnposition the anion gives, directly or 

 indirectly, a considerable quantity of carbonic acid. The experiments 

 show that as much as 85 per cent, of the escaping gdses consists of carboh 

 dioxide when a solution of potassium permangaliate is the electrolyte. 



Since the publication in 1897 of the Committee's Report on the 

 Theot-y of the Migration of Ions and of Specific Ionic Velocities, an 

 important paper by Orme Masson has appeared,- giving an account Of an 

 experimental method of measuring ionid velocities and of the Results for a 

 number of ions. 



The original plan of the Committee, as arranged in 1890, included 

 reports on the following additional sections : — § d. Electro-chemical 

 Thermo- dynamics ; § e. Electric Endosmose ; and %g. Numerical Relations. 

 Information on some of these sections has already been made easily 

 accessible. 



A small book,' ' Das Leitvermogen der Electrolyte,' Leipzig) 1898, has 

 been published by Dr. von Kohlrausch and Dr. Holborn, giving a complete 

 account of the method of measuring electrolytic conductivity by means of 

 alternating currents in conjunction with a telephone, with the precautions 

 necessary for accurate results. There are also tables of the conductivity 

 of certain solutions, which may be used to standardise resistance vessels. 



The thet-mo-dynamics of electrolytic processes is in some degree 

 covered by a Report by Professor E. F. J . Love on our Knowledge of the 

 Thermo-dynamics of the Voltaic Cell, published by the Australasian 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, Sydney, 1898. 



Since the original appointment of the Committee, very toaany and 

 important researches upon the chemical phenomena resulting from or 

 associated with the passage of electricity through gases have been 

 published. 



In order to make the Committee's Report in any way a complete 

 sketch of the subject of electro-chemistry as now developed, its scope 

 would have to be enlarged to include such phenomena as the conductivity 

 of gases at high temperatures, and under the influence of other ionising 

 agencies. The Committee feel unable to undertake such an extension of 

 their work, and do not seek reappointment. 



• Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc, x. 261, 1900. 

 ' Phil Trans., A, cxciii., 1899. 



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