PROFESSOR H. B. DIXON ON THE RATE OF EXPLOSION IN GASES. 
125 
Table XIX. 
( 1 -) 
Mixture. 
2 vols. hydrogen I 
1 vol. oxygen J 
H3 + O 
With addition 
of 3 vols. nitrogen. 
H3 + O+N3 
With addition of 2 vols. 
nitrogen and 1 vol. oxygen. 
Ho + 0 -{- 0 + Nj 
Mean rate. 
2821 
2055 
2003 
( 2 -) 
Mixture. 
2 vols. hydrogen 
1 vol. oxygen J 
H 3 + O 
With addition of 
3 vols. carbonic oxide. 
Hop 0 + Kg 
With addition of 2 vols. 
carb. ox. and 1 vol. oxygen. 
Ho + 0 + 0 + Ko 
Mean rate . . 
2821 
2080 
2143 
A study of these several tables brings us to the conclusion that secondary 
reactions, whereby carbonic oxide is oxidised in the flame, may affect the velocity of 
the wave to a smaller extent when the explosion is rapid, to a greater extent when 
the explosion is slow. 
Cap. VII. —Examination of Berthelot’s Theory. 
The measurements of the rate of explosion of the various gaseous mixtures 
described in Cap. V. permitted an extended comparison between the theoretical 
velocities calculated by Berthelot’s formula {6) and the actual rates {v). This 
comparison is made in the following tables for electrolytic gas, diluted with oxygen 
and with nitrogen ; for cyanogen burning to carbonic oxide, and when this mixture 
is diluted with nitrogen ; for marsh gas, ethylene, and acetylene, all burning to 
carbonic oxide and steam, and for the same gases diluted with nitrogen. In 
calculating 6, I made a correction for the gases being at the ordinary temperature 
(13° C.) before explosion, and not at absolute zero; the theoretical velocities are, 
therefore, rather higher than those given by Berthelot. This correction raises the 
theoretical velocity of explosion of electrolytic gas from 2831 metres per second 
(Berthelot) to 2900. 
