248 J. Olsen — Free Ions in Aqueous Solutions. 



charging the jars positive, the direction of the deflection was 

 again reversed. 



The experiments were repeated with pure zinc amalgamated 

 electrodes in zinc sulphate wath the same results. The zinc 

 cell did not, generally, give as large a deflection as the copper 

 and so could more easily he reversed. 



The greater effectiveness of the negative charge when it is 

 suflSciently large may be due to the fact that the positive ions 

 move faster than the negative, and the attracted ions would 

 be guided more effectively than the repelled. 



Toward the close of this work the humid weather interfered 

 with the experiments somewhat, but results were obtained 

 which indicated that it would be possible to entirely waste 

 away the anode, by letting the electrostatic charge act on the 

 closed circuit for a sufficiently long time. 



It was intended also to test a non-electrolyte by this method, 

 using a sugar solution, but the distilled water I was able to 

 obtain always gave a deflection in the galvanometer, showing 

 that it contained some dissociated electrolyte, and therefore 

 this test could not be made. 



These experiments have shown : — 



1. That, when a cell containing an electrolyte is connected 

 to a Daniell, although the electromotive force is below the 

 decomposition value of the electrolyte, the solution in the 

 neighborhood of the anode becomes positiv-e, or in the neigh- 

 borhood of the cathode becomes negative, or both. 



2. That, after an electrolyte has been electrolyzed by a cur- 

 rent, it is affected by an electrostatic charge in such a way that 

 the liquid nearest the charge becomes of the opposite sign, or 

 the liquid farthest from the cliarge becomes of the same sign 

 as the charge, or both. 



That is, an electrolyte after having been electrolyzed acts as 

 if it contained particles charged with electricity which are free 

 to move and may be directed by an electrostatic charge. 



3. That an electrolyte subjected to an electromotive force 

 less than the decomposition value of the solution behaves in a 

 similar manner. 



4. Finally, that an electrolyte which has never been acted 

 upon by a current also behaves in a similar manner when 

 acted upon by an electrostatic charge. 



That is, it behaves as if it contained particles charged with 

 electricity, which are free to move, and these particles have 

 not been produced by a current. 



This corresponds to the definition of free ions. 



In conclusion I wish to thank Professor Wright, who sug- 

 gested the subject and a large number of the experiments, and 

 whose advice and assistance has always been cheerfully given. 

 Sloane Physical Laboratory, New Haven, June, 1})02. 



