HYDRATES AND CARBONATES OF THE ALKALI- METALS, ETC. 469 



In the most highly caustic product, I obtained from carbonate of soda - was equal 



to 3, hence in that experiment we may have had 



h h 



3 = T — 1 , or y = 4 , or h = 4k . 

 k k 



But both k and h are functions of temperature ; both must be presumed to increase when 



the temperature increases, but h may increase faster than k. If so, h : k and consequently 



x:y, i.e., the proportion of carbonate in the residue increases as the temperature rises. 



This would explain the apparent anomaly which presented itself in the experiment with 



carbonate of soda, detailed on page 028 ; provided the result was not owing to unobserved 



errors. 



VOL. XXXV. PART II. (NO. 12). 4 H 



