The Coefficient of lonisation of a Fused Salt

Abstract

IT is now forty years since Arrhenius and Van't Hoff put forward two independent methods for calculating the ‘coefficient of ionisation’ of a dissolved salt. The general concordance of their results provided a firm foundation for Arrhenius's theory of electrolytic dissociation, whilst the smaller discordances have provided material for the development of the later theory of complete ionisation. Since neither of the above methods could be used to determine the coefficient of ionisation of a fused salt, it has been supposed that the problem of determining this coefficient was insoluble. All the data that are required for a formal solution are, however, available for silver chloride at 600°, namely, molecular weight M = 143.34,density = 5.267–0.00092 t = 4.715, specific conductivity k = 4.48, viscosity = 0.01606 (at 603°).