144 The Literature of Ozone. 



oxygen. The reaction takes place, primarily, according to the 

 equations : — 



(1) P 5 + 20, = P 2 0,+0 and P„+ 30, ==P 2 5 +0 

 and secondarily, according to the equation 

 0, 0, + 2 + tfN + 3 H 2 = 0, + H 2 2 + NH 4 NO, * 



The ozone passes off in the atmosphere. The hydrogen per- 

 oxide and the ammonium nitrate mostly remain behind in the 

 jar-water, though certain amounts can be detected in the wash- 

 waters, if any such be employed to wash the escaping ozone. 

 The white cloud above the wet phosphorus is mainly hydrogen 

 peroxide associated in a state of vesicular suspension with aque- 

 ous vapor, and constitutes the antozone cloud of Schonbein (the 

 atmizone of Meissner). 



In all these cases, besides the production of atomic oxygen as 

 a necessary antecedent, its formation at temperatures consistent 

 with the possible formation of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, etc., 

 must be predicated. And inasmuch as ozone is slowly converted 

 even at the boiling point of water into oxygen (at once at a tern-, 

 perature of 237° C. ), the importance of maintaining a low tem- 

 perature is manifest. When the atomation of oxygen is brought 

 about by moist phosphorus, no action occurs below 6° C. At 

 24° the formation of ozone is at a maximum, the production 

 falling off very rapidly, as the temperature rises above this point. 

 When atomic oxygen is set free in the electrolysis of acidulated 

 w r ater, the gas evolved at the positive electrode contains, accord- 

 ing to Soret, 1 p. c. of ozone, when the temperature of the elec- 

 trolyte is maintained at 6° C, and 2 p. c. when at 0°. 



But whilst the lower temperatures spoken of are those most 

 favorable to the permanence of the products of the action of 

 atomic oxygen, yet the evidence is very strong that even under 

 circumstances apparently unfavorable and at high temperatures, 

 the atomic oxygen may bring about the formation of ozone, hy- 

 drogen peroxide and ammonium nitrite. It was stat?d by Loew 



* In an article upon the " Preparation of Phosphoric Acid by the oxida- 

 tion of Phosphorus with Air in presence of Moisture," (Pharm. J. Trans. [3], 

 XIV, 24-26, and Jour. Chem. Soc, December, 1883, p. 1050), W. T. Wen- 

 zell has obtained the same results, and has adopted in their explanation the 

 hypothesis here stated. 



