The Composition of Water by Volume

Abstract

IN my paper “On the Composition of Water by Volume” (Proc. R. S. 1887, 398) the ratio 1.994 volumes of hydrogen to 1 volume of oxygen was given as the most probable value, as I assumed that both gases were of an equal degree of purity. The ratio 1.9967:1 was given from the best six experiments if the impurity be supposed to be altogether in the oxygen. At the last meeting of the British Association (B.A. Trans., 1887, 668) I pointed out that this was the most probable ratio, as I had found the impurity to be chiefly oxides of carbon arising from the combustion of traces of the vaseline used in lubricating the stop-cocks finding their way into the eudiometer. Dr. Sydney Young's interesting and ingenious letter (p. 390) is a most valuable corroboration of the hypothesis that the impurity is almost entirely due to the oxygen. A new and larger apparatus, enabling me to use twice the volume of gas, and to measure with much greater accuracy the residue, as well as make a complete analysis of it, still gives a ratio of less than 2: 1, as the four last experiments made with it show.