150 Messrs. Holborn and Austin on Cathode Disintegration 
If we now determine the inclination of the different curves, 
the equations for which are written after the tables, 1t 1s seen 
that the ratios of the trigonometric tangents of the angles 
stand in simple relations to the ratios of the atomic weights A. 
It is necessary, indeed, to distinguish two groups of the 
metals, to the first of which belong silver, platinum, iridium, 
copper, and nickel ; to the second, silver, bismuth, palladium, 
antimony, and rhodium. The members of each group dis- 
integrate in equivalent proportions at the same potential, 
when for the individual metals valencies are assumed which 
are recognized in chemistry. 
Fig. 2. 
Y ed (se Ale 
a a fa a A 
is eee el Ae 
of) SS a sae a 
OI eee |. dest ee 
oe ee |. 
pL 
‘Ree Reeth ea eee Aa 
ES eae saee!. | 
es YO Se le EEN et ee 
et PERE oe ARR PACE. 
SRL et as osesae st e“waee 
St YS ted | “| | | 
MASBits 
THO e a a ate 
ie i Bee = iy 
oe eee eee ee ee 
ae ea eed |e 
FOOTE GVO RT NES GAM, 750) L000 2500 Volt-—~ 
The disintegration of silver, which belongs to both groups, 
follows two different curves, whose ordinates stand in the 
ratio 189: 162°5=1:16. The cause of this difference has not 
been made clear. Itcan only be said that the silver cathode A 
(Table I.) gave first the values given under silver a, and repre- 
sented by the curve Ag I, and after being in use for some 
time suddenly began giving the values given under silver 8, 
and shown in curve AgII. A fresh silver cathode B, put in 
the same place in the tube, gave values for y corresponding 
to the lower curve. The order in which the observations 
