ABSORPTION OF MOISTURE BY GELATIN IN A SATURATED ATMOSPHERE 319 
But if a similar piece of gelatin is placed in a saturated atmosphere, 
moisture equilibrium between gelatin and water is reached at a much lower 
percentage of intake, as shown in table 2. In this case the air-dry gelatin 
disc weighed 0.904 g. 
Table 2. Absorption of Water hy Gelatin in a Saturated Atmosphere 
Time Intake in Grams Gain Percent 
1 day 0-154 g- 17.0^ 
2 days 0.218 24.10 
3 days 0.277 30-69 
4 days 0.294 32.56 
5 days 0.347 36.21 
7 days 0.357 39-52 
8 days 0.366 40.52 
15 days 0.372 41.18 
17 days 0.368 40.74 
18 days 0.369 40.80 
20 days 0.374 41 41 
These figures make it appear that equilibrium was reached at about the 
end of a week, at a little over 40 percent of absorption. 
When the gelatin was first soaked in water till nearly saturated, and 
then brought into a saturated atmosphere, there was continuous loss of 
water from the gelatin. Thus a piece of gelatin weighing 0.433 g- was 
soaked until it weighed 5.092 g. It was then placed in a chamber with a 
supposedly saturated atmosphere. The behavior is shown in table 3. 
The first three columns to the left, except the top line, are taken from von 
Schroder, and the two columns to the right are from Bancroft's discussion 
of the same experiment, with a correction made by omitting the dashes in 
Bancroft's table, and lifting the figures into correct aligliment with the 
time intervals. 
Table 3. Loss of Water hy Gelatin in a Saturated Atmosphere 
Time 
Loss in Weight 
in G. 
Loss Percent 
Weiglit of Water in 
Gelatin in G. 
Percentage Absorbed 
Water Remaining 
0 day 
4-659 
1,076 
I day 
0.259 
6.29 
4.400 
1,016 
2 days 
0.337 
7.82 
4-332 
998 
3 days 
0.383 
8.87 
4.276 
988 
4 days 
0.418 
9.68 
4.241 
979 
5 days 
0.929 
21.50 
3-730 
861 
7 days 
I.313 
30.45 
3-346 
759 
9 days 
1.972 
45.63 
2.687 
621 
II days 
2.571 
59-48 
2.088 
482 
14 days 
3.175 
73-46 
1.484 
343 
The percentages in column three are not calculated with great accuracy, 
but are presented exactly as in the original. The data indicate that there 
is continuous loss of water from the gelatin, although the air on all sides is 
assumed to be saturated. The behavior implies a contradiction to the 
second law of thermodynamics. Such an evaporation of water from one 
