VI. On the solubility of solids in gases

Abstract

This investigation was undertaken in the hope that, by an examination of the conditions of liquid matter up to the “critical” point, sufficient knowledge might be gained to enable us to determine under what particular conditions liquids are dynamically comparable, in order that the microrheometrical method (which the Royal Society has done one of us the honour of publishing in the “Philosophical Transactions”) might be applied to determine their molecular mass and energy relations. It seemed that as the laws relating to gases and liquids merge at what was called by Baron Cagniard de la Tour “l’état particulier,” and by Dr. Andrews the “ critical point,” an examination of matter up to the limit of the liquid state would belikely to yield us much information. The time we have to devote to scientific work being very limited, we found that it was quite impossible to make much advance by using the apparatus devised by Dr. Andrews, as the time required to change from one liquid to another was more than we had at our disposal.