The non-luminous oxidation of phosphorus in an oxygen atmosphere

Abstract

In connection with the glow of phosphorus, two outstanding facts are that it is inhibited by the presence of small quantities of vapours like turpentine, camphor, and ammonia, and, what has often been considered stranger still, by an excess of the oxygen necessary for combustion. I have examined both these cases in former papers. It was shown that the failure of combustion as indicated by the visual glow is a limiting case of slow propagation. The rate of propagation of a luminous pulse through a mixture of oxygen and phosphorus vapour becomes slower and slower as the conditions of total extinction are approached.