418 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
H 
inactive oxygen 0 0. This supposition is also necessary in order 
to explain the conversion of ozone and antozone by heat into 
ordinary oxygen. 
It is probable that the protosulphate of iron in the method of 
testing for peroxide of hydrogen exerts a similar action. Having 
a strong af&nity for oxygen, it decomposes the peroxide into H 2 0 
+ ^ — 
and 0, and at the same time converts the latter into 0, which then 
decomposes the iodide of potassium thus : — 
Kg I 2 + 0 = K 2 0 + Ig. 
This last reaction being similar to that of the decomposition of 
iodide of potassium by ozone : — 
Kgig + 000 = KgO + 0 0 + Ig. 
The production of antozone by the action of sulphuric acid on 
peroxide of barium is perfectly analogous to the formation of per- 
oxide of hydrogen by the action of carbonic dioxide on peroxide 
of barium, thus — 
Carbonate of 
Barium. 
Bag 0 0 + COg - Bag OC.Og + 0 
Peroxide of 
Hydrogen. 
+ — + + h 
HgO + 0 = HgOO. 
It might be supposed, from these views of the constitution of 
ozone and antozone, that when in contact they ought to combine 
with each other to produce ordinary oxygen. There is, however, 
no more reason that this should be the case than that an electro- 
positive element like hydrogen should combine with oxygen, which 
is electro-negative, when mixed with each other. As in the case 
of hydrogen and oxygen, however, it is possible that ozone and 
antozone may combine to form ordinary oxygen by the passage of 
the electric spark. The increase in volume of electrised oxygen by 
the passage of the spark from a Eiihmkorff’s coil, may possibly be 
partially due to this cause, although no doubt owing in great measure 
to the decomposition of some of the ozone and antozone by heat. 
