Abstract
THE appearance of Prof. Cooke's important memoir upon the atomic weights of hydrogen and oxygen,3 induces me to communicate to the Royal Society a notice of the results that I have obtained with respect to the relative densities of these gases. My motive for undertaking this investigation, planned in 1882,4 was the same as that which animated Prof. Cooke—namely, the desire to examine whether the relative atomic weights of the two bodies really deviated from the simple ratio 1: 16, demanded by Front's law. For this purpos a knowledge of the densities is not of itself sufficient; but it appeared to me that the other factor involved, viz. the relative atomic volumes of the two gases, could be measured with great accuracy by eudiometric methods, and I was aware that Mr. Scott had in view a redetermination of this number, since in great part carried out.5 If both investigations are conducted with gases under the normal atmospheric conditions as to temperature and pressure, any small departures from the laws of Boyle and Charles will be practically without influence upon the final number representing the ratio of atomic weights.
Article PDF
References
"The Relative Values of the Atomic Weights of Hydrogen and Oxygen,” by J. P. Cooke and T. W. Richards, Amer. Acad. Proc., vol xxiii., 1887.
"On the Composition of Water by Volume,” by A. Scott, Roy. Soc. Proc., June 16, 1887 (vol. xlii. p. 396).
Loc cit.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lord Rayleigh on the Relative Densities of Hydrogen and Oxygen 2 . Nature 37, 418–420 (1888). https://doi.org/10.1038/037418a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/037418a0