of certain Chemical Actions, etc. 



277 



These results are plotted in Fig. 4 and shew clearly that here 

 also we have the same period of induction, or period when the 

 action has not attained its normal velocity. 



We may conclude therefore that the period of induction as 

 observed is a regular part of the action. 

































410 

 "S 406 



s 



13 



S 





























^ 























































































53 



400 



























































395 































) 



1 







2 







3 







4 







6 







60 



7t 



Time in minutes 

 Fig. 4. 



The occurrence of this period of induction shews that to regard 

 the action as a simple monomolecular action is not a complete 

 view. If we assume that the first action is an aggregation of an 

 H 2 and a CH 2 C1C00H molecule, and that an unstable compound 

 is thus formed which tends to break down into glycollic acid and 

 hydrochloric acid, we should necessarily have a period of in- 

 duction ; and after a short time the action could progress in the 

 ordinary monomolecular way. For suppose x is the number of 

 molecules of the original acid present, y the number of molecules 

 of the complex, and z the number of molecules of hydrochloric acid 

 or glycollic acid present, then the mass action law gives us 



dy 

 a^i 



= k\x 



dz 

 di' 



dz 

 It 



= %, 



and therefore 



dy-h 



dt 



— rC^OO — iCf^jJ* 



