W. G. Mixter — On Electrosynthesis. 61 



Molecular Changes. 



The table below is based on the composition of the gases 

 used and the ratio of the volumes combined to one volume of 

 hydrogen and oxygen also combined under the influence of the 

 glow discharge as before described. The ratio taken for car- 

 bonic oxide and oxygen is 1*13, the mean of all the results ; for 

 methane and oxygen 1*49, which appears to be the best result ; 

 for ethylene and oxygen 3, the result of the last two experi- 

 ments with these gases ; for acetylene and oxygen 3*2 ; and 

 for ethane and oxygen 1*5. The volume ratios also represent 

 the relative number of molecules combining, and for con- 

 venience these ratios are given in the table in whole numbers, 

 and one volume of hydrogen and oxygen is assumed to con- 

 tain 100 molecules. 



Mixture of gases. 

 Hydrogen and oxygen, 

 Carbonic oxide and oxygen, 113 

 Methane " ' 



Ethylene " 



Acetylene " 



Ethane " ■ 



The accuracy of the experimental work is by no means 

 what is desirable, nevertheless it is evident that the same elec- 

 tric current caused the oxidation of a different number of 

 molecules of the gases, the variation being as 1 to 2, while the 

 oxygen consumed varied as 1 to 7 molecules. Moreover, the 

 numbers representing the relative proportions of the molecules 

 oxidized fall into two classes, viz : 67, 49, 50, and 75, 86, 91. 

 The former are the numbers of saturated and the latter of 

 unsaturated molecules oxidized. Ethylene and acetylene differ 

 but little in deportment, although the latter is the more endo- 

 thermic in character. Both combine more rapidly than car- 

 bonic oxide ; methane and ethane combine at about the same 

 rate but slower than hydrogen. If we calculate the amount of 

 change in a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen on the basis that 

 3*6 CC combine in one hour, we find that 1 cubic millimeter of the 

 mixture unites in a second. The space occupied by the glow 

 discharge in the apparatus was about 30 cc , and the volume of 

 gas at ^th of an atmosphere equals 3000 cubic millimeters at 

 standard pressure, that is, the molecules combining during one 

 second were mixed with 3000 times as many molecules. This 

 slow combustion did not raise the mean temperature of the 

 gases, as the heat evolved was constantly lost by radiation. 

 Whether the energy of oxidation induced by the electric glow 









Molecules 



Molecules 







of oxygen 



combined. 



Molecules oxidized. 



consumed. 



100 



H 2 



67 



33 



Q, 113 



CO 



75 



38 



149 



CH 4 



49 



100 



300 



C 2 H 4 



86 



214 



320 



C 2 H 



91 



229 



150 



CM R 



50 



100 



