88 
SIR B. C. BRODIE ON THE ACTION OF ELECTRICITY ON GASES. 
oxidation of carbonic acid, analogous in properties to the organic peroxides of the bibasic 
acids and capable of decomposing iodide of potassium. No definite conclusion could 
be drawn from these experiments until this point was ascertained. 
In my previous investigation certain definite quantitative reactions of ozone have been 
established, which may be submitted to exact measurement, by which this gas is discri- 
minated from all other known gases, and by which it may be effectually recognized and 
estimated. Of these, the following reaction is perhaps the most certain and charac- 
teristic*. 
When oxygen which has been submitted in the induction-tube to the electric action 
is passed through a solution of neutral hyposulphite of soda a diminution of bulk occurs, 
and a volume of gas is absorbed by the hyposulphite of soda equal to twice the volume 
which would be occupied by the quantity of oxygen absorbed, under similar circum- 
stances, when an equal volume of the same gas is passed through a solution of neutral 
iodide of potassium. This critical test was applied in the present instance as follows. 
Five pipettes of the electrized carbonic acid (the capacity of the pipette being 290-8 
cub. centims.) were successively passed through a bulb containing a solution of neutral 
iodide of potassium, by which the “titre” of the gas was estimated. After the experi- 
ment the carbonic acid was, as before, absorbed in the absorption-bulb, and the 
unabsorbed gas transferred to the aspirator and measured. It was demonstrated in my 
previous experiments that the volume of electrized oxygen is not affected by the passage 
of the gas through a solution of neutral iodide of potassium. 
In the first column of the following Table is given the “ titre ” of the gas, T; in column II. 
the volume of the gas unabsorbed by potash after the passage of the five pipettes of gas 
through the solution of iodide of potassium, Y. In column III. is given the volume of 
unabsorbed gas after the passage of an equal volume of the electrized gas through the 
solution of hyposulphite of soda, V x ; in column. IY. the difference of these volumes, 
V— V, 
V-Vj; in column Y. the ratio of this difference to the “ titre” of the gas, E= — — . 
The strength of the solution of hyposulphite of soda employed in the several experiments 
was greatly varied, but, as in the case of my previous experiments with electrized 
oxygen, without producing any appreciable effect on the result. 
I. 
T. 
II. 
V. 
III. 
Y v ■■ 
IV. 
Y-v r 
V. 
b=I=L. 
T 
2-44 
29-89 
26-37 
3-52 
1-44 
1*55 
26-66 
23-56 
3-10 
2-00 
3-69 
67-93 
62-17 
5-76 
1-55 
3-69 
67-93 
60-22 
7-71 
2-08 
3-47 
64-94 
56-78 
8-16 
2-35 
3*47 
64-94 
57-49 
7-45 
2-14 
1-61 
37-66 
34-51 
3-15 
1-95 
3-38 
54-99 
48-94 
6-05 
1-79 
1-94 
43-50 
39-46 
4-04 
2-08 
1-06 
39-04 
36-84 
2*20 
2-07 
4-34 
59-49 
52-96 
6-53 
1-50 
3*47 
47-33 
40-86 
6-47 
1-86 
* Philosophical Transactions, he. cit. p. 473. 
