46 DR. W. A. BONE AND MR. R. V. WHEELER ON THE COMBINATION OF 
After a preliminary series of' experiments with normal electrolytic gas, at different 
temperatures between 250° and 400°, in which the rate of combination was always 
found to be proportional to the pressure of the dry gas, we adopted 250° as the best 
experimental temperature for the investigation of the influence of an excess of each 
gas, respectively, on the catalytic process. The following three experiments were 
then made with normal electrolytic gas. In Experiments V. and VI., the gauze was 
in its “normal” condition, but before Experiment VII., oxygen had been circulated 
over it at 250° for two days. 
Experiment V. 
November 25, 1904. 
Surface in “ normal ” condition. 
Normal electrolytic gas. 
T = 250°. Rate of circulation 
= 1 in 45 minutes. 
Experiment VI. 
November 27, 1904. 
Surface in “ normal ” condition. 
Normal electrolytic gas. 
T = 250°. Rate of circulation 
= 1 in 45 minutes. 
Experiment VII. 
December 1, 1904. 
Surface after exposure to oxygen 
at 250° for 2 days. Normal 
electrolytic gas. T = 250°. Rate 
of circulation = 1 in 45 minutes. 
t. 
P. 
t. 
P. 
k\. 
t. 
P. 
k\. 
hours. 
0 
1 
0 
-J 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
millims. 
355-5 
275-5 
215-8 
175-8 
141-1 
112-2 
89-3 
70-1 
0-1107 
0-1084 
0-1019 
0-1003 
0-1001 
o-iooo 
0-1007 
hours. 
0 
1 
2 
3 
millims. 
348-6 
270-9 
218-6 
173-6 
0-1096 
0-1014 
0-1010 
hours. 
0 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
millims. 
339-3 
257-8 
204-8 
166-9 
135-9 
107-3 
84-1 
0-1193 
0-1097 
0-1027 
0-0993 
0-1000 
0-1009 
It is again evident that the rate of combination is proportional to the pressure of 
the dry gas, although in all three experiments the amount of change during the first 
hour was proportionally rather larger than during any of the succeeding hours. From 
the results of Experiment VII. it is clear that oxygen per se lias no stimulating 
influence on the catalysing power of the surface. 
In the next two experiments (VIII. and IX.), the influence of an excess of oxygen 
and hydrogen, respectively, on the rate of combination was studied. The rate of 
circulation was the same in each experiment (namely, complete circuit in 45 minutes), 
and during the interval between the two experiments the apparatus stood vacuous. 
