PROFESSOR H. B. DIXON ON THE RATE OF EXPLOSION IN GASES. 
137 
Table XXX. 
Explosive 
gases. 
Inert gases. 
Heat developed. 
Contraction. 
Specific heat 
of products. 
Mean 
density. 
H, + 0 
59,000 Cals. 
3 : 2 
4-8 X 1-5 
•520 
Hn + 0 
9:8 
4-8 X 4-5 
•1964 
H, + 0 
O5 
8 : 7 
4'8 X 4 
•910 
H, + 0 
N5 
8 : 7 
4-8 X 4 
•8302 
The Kate of Explosion of Electrolytic Gas with excess of Hydrogen and with excess 
of Oxygen compared with Calcidated Velocities. 
Mixture. 
Hs + O 
Hg + O 
H, + 0 
H 2 + 0 
H 3 -f O 2 
Ho + 0 , 
Ho + Oc 
Berthelot’s 6. 
3028 
3061 
3055 
2900 
2252 
1730 
1476 
Rate of ex¬ 
plosion . 
3532 
3.527 
3268 
2821 
23-28 
1927 
1707 
2 . 
3516 
3571 
3585 
3416 
2650 
2024 
1718 
A glance at this table reveals the fact that the sound-wave calculated by my 
formula does not agree in velocity with the explosion-wave of pure electrolytic gas ; 
but as the electrolytic gas is more and more diluted with hydrogen or with oxygen, 
the observed and calculated velocities come nearer together, until, not far from the 
two limits of regular explosion, they are in close agreement. Conversely we have 
seen that Berthelot’s formula gives the correct rate for pure electrolytic gas, but 
diverges more and more from the observed rates as the gas is diluted. Where 
Berthelot’s “ 6 ” fails to represent the facts, the “ X” I have calculated does so; 
and vice versd. 
I advance the following hypothesis to account for this divergence. At the high 
temperature of the explosion-ivave the comhination of hydrogen and oxygen is not com¬ 
plete; or. in other ivords, steam is partly dissociated under these conditions. The 
^ temperature of the wave front is therefore less than that calculated. As more and 
more inert gases are added to electrolytic gas, the temperature of the explosion is 
lowered by the division of the heat between the diluent gases; more and more of the 
explosive gases are thus able to combine. As the gases are diluted, therefore, the 
temperature of the wave front comes nearer and nearer to that calculated. 
A comparison of the sound-wave, X, with the rates of explosion of electrolytic gas 
diluted with nitrogen, and of hydrogen with nitrous oxide and nitrogen, brings out 
MDCCCXCIII.-A. T 
