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IV. 



THE IONS PRODUCED BY BUBBLING AIR THROUGH 



ALCOHOL. 



by j. a. McClelland, d.Sc, f.r.s., 



AND 



P. J. NOLAN, M.Sc, 



University College, Dublin. 



Read April S. Published August 7, 1918. 



In a previous paper 1 the nature of the ions produced by bubbling air through 

 mercury was examined. Several different groups of ions were found, and with 

 the view of obtaining further information on the nature of these ions we have 

 undertaken similar experiments on the ionisation produced by bubbling air 

 through alcohol. Alcohol was chosen for two reasons, (1) because the quantity 

 of ionisation obtained with it is larger than with most liquids, and so enables 

 us to make observations on the ions some time after formation ; and (2) because 

 alcohol is easily obtained comparatively pure. 



Investigations bearing on the ionisation produced by breaking up alcohol 

 have been made by De Broglie 2 and Eve. 3 De Broglie showed that the electri- 

 fication produced by bubbling air through alcohol increased very rapidly with 

 the pressure inside the orifice through which the air issued when the pressure 

 was over 8 cms. of mercury. He also showed that the electrification was the 

 same with pure alcohol and with alcohol diluted with water down even to a 

 strength of thirty per cent, alcohol. When the alcohol was diluted further, 

 the electrification decreased. Eve sprayed a number of liquids and examined 

 the quantity of positive and negative electrification given to the air. Ee 

 found that alcohol was among the most active liquids, and that with alcohol 

 the positive and negative electrifications wine equal. 



1 Pioc. Roy. Irish Acad., vol. xxxiii, Sec. A (11116). 

 - Lo Radium, August, 1907. 

 3 Phil. Mag., vol. xiv (1907). 



B.I.A. PEOO., VOL. XXXIV, SECT. A. [ !(] 



