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VALENCY AND CHEMICAL AFFINITY. 
By James Moir, M.A., D.Sc, F.E.S.S.Af. 
(Eead June 19, 1912.) 
Two and a half years ago (Trans. E.S.S.A., vol. i., part 2, p. 413 ; also 
J.C.S., November, 1909) the author showed that the atomic weights could 
be fairly exactly calculated by making use of a proton, fi, of atomic weight 
about 0-009. 
The author has now discovered evidence that this proton may really 
be, as was suspected in 1909, the true cause of valency and of chemical 
combination. This evidence consists in the fact that practically the same 
value of ^ is given by the three most exact determinations of molecular 
ratios that he is acquainted with. 
(i.) Synthesis of Water. — This gives 11 = 1*0077 when oxygen = 16. 
Assume as before that hydrogen consists of H (non-valent, of atomic 
weight 1 exactly) plus fx, and that oxygen = 16 H + 2 ^. 
Then we have — 
16a±M).i.o077; 
16 + 2^ 
7 
or by the binomial theorem, 1*0077 = 1 + g ^ ; whence fx = 0*0088. 
(ii.) Stas's Corrected Batio of Silver Nitrate to Silver. — This was found 
to be 1*57473. Assume silver nitrate to be — 
il .N-O-Ag, 
i.e., with oxygen tetravalent and eight bonds. Its molecular weight is 
then — 
108 + 14 + 48 + 8 ^ = 170 + 8 ^ (H = 1), 
when metallic silver is 108 H. 
Hence — 
170 + 8^ = 108x1-57473. 
