128 Prof. A. J. Brown and Mr. F. Tinker. Absorption of 



Table VI — continued. 



(b) Ordinary Phenol Solutions of Various Strengths at 26-6° C. 





k. 



a. 







grm. 



N/2 phenol 



-090 



9-8 



N/4 „ 



0-082 



9-5 



N/8 „ 



0-073 



9-4 



N/16 „ 



0-064, 



9-3 





0-054 



9-2 



Since the relationship between the absorption rate and the degree of fulness 

 is a linear one, it follows that the original experimental absorption curves are 

 logarithmic. 



Integration of the equation 



dx/clt = k(a—x), 

 between the limits x and x h gives 



log e a ^l= h(t-h). 

 a—x 



Taking x\ as the initial weight (5 grm.), this becomes (since t — 0) 



l0g e = M. 



a—x 



This equation represents the experimental absorption curves with a high 

 degree of accuracy. If the weight of the original 5 grm. of seeds after any 

 given interval is calculated from it, there is rarely a difference exceeding two 

 or three tenths of a gramme between the calculated and the actual experimental 

 value. Table VII gives this comparison for the seeds immersed in water at 

 19° C, and also those steeped in N/2 phenol at the same temperature. The 

 differences between the calculated and the experimental values are well within 

 the experimental errors involved in weighing and drying the seeds. 

 The absorption equation for water at 19° C. is 



and for 3ST/2 phenol 



2-34 



l oge " 6 * = 0-024^, 

 6 7-M-x 



log, 0-045 t. 



7-5 —X 



