Chemistry and Physics. 71 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 

 I. Chemistry and Physics. 



1. The Solubility of Bismuth Oxychloride in Hydrochloric 

 Acid and its Relation to Complex Formation. — Arthur A. 

 Noyes, Frank W. Hall and James A. Beattie have made an 

 investigation of this subject and have reached interesting con- 

 clusions in regard to the condition of the dissolved substance in 

 the solution. In the first place, it was found that the electrical 

 conductance of hydrochloric acid solutions was decreased by 

 dissolving the bismuth oxychloride in them. This fact indicated 

 that the bismuth chloride in solution could not be in an ionized 

 condition, for with Bi + + + and 3C1— or with BiCl++ and 2C1~ 

 the conductance would be much increased. Moreover, if BiCl s 

 molecules were formed, without ionization, the conductance 

 would be little changed, while if complex combinations with HC1 

 were formed, resulting in BiCl 4 — or BiCl B = ions the conductance 

 should decrease. The fact, therefore, that a pronounced 

 decrease was observed shows that the complex anions are present 

 in large proportion. Calculations made from the results of a 

 series of determinations indicated that the substance formed in 

 the solutions might be either HBiCl 4 or H 2 BiCl 3 , and the latter 

 seemed to be the more probable one in cases where a considerable 

 excess of hydrogen chloride was present. 



A further investigation of the matter was made by finding 

 the solubility of the oxychloride in hydrochloric acid of various 

 strengths. When these results were calculated from a mass- 

 action standpoint they were found to be intermediate between 

 HBiCl^ and ILBiCl-;, thus confirming the results derived from 

 the conductance. It is interesting to observe that alkali-metal 

 salts of both these acids have been prepared. — Journ. Amer. 

 Chem. Soc, 39, 2526. h. l. w. 



2. A Revision of the Cobalti-Nitrite Method for the Determi- 

 nation of Potash. — On account of the high price of platinum and 

 the advantages of a volumetric method, the cobalti-nitric process 

 has come into rather extensive use in the determination of 

 potassium. C. R. Happ and E. H. Schwartz have described 

 their application of the method in the examination of cement 

 materials, including the flue-dust, and it appears that their 

 method is satisfactory and convenient. The details need not be 

 given here, but it is of interest to notice that they decompose 

 clinker and raw materials by the well known "fusion" of J. 

 Lawrence Smith, precipitate the triple salt, K 2 NaCo(N0 2 ) 6 , with- 

 out separating calcium, and finally titrate by the use of an 

 excess of permanganate, then, after acidifying with sulphuric 

 acid, adding an excess of oxalic acid, and at last the proper 



