Page:Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A - Volume 184.djvu/342

342 need disturb the uniform course of the ions, and no jelly bring in unknown and irregular conditions.

Consider the boundary of two salt solutions of slightly different density, which have one ion in common, but are of different colours (fig. 1). Let us denote the salts by AC and BC. When a current passes across the boundary there will be a transference of C ions in one direction (against the current, if we suppose the C’s to be acid radicles, and, therefore, anions), and of A and B ions in the other (in the case supposed, with the current). Since the colour in this ease depends on the kation A or B, the colour boundary will move with the current, and its velocity will indicate that of the ion causing the change in colour.

Postponing for the present the consideration of certain complications which may arise, I will describe the method of working and some preliminary observations. As small quantities of gas may be evolved at the electrodes they could not be sealed up, and finally a very simple apparatus was found to be the best (fig. 2). Two vertical glass tubes about 2 centims. in diameter were joined by a third, considerably narrower, which was bent parallel to the others for the greater part of its length. The longer tube was filled with the denser solution to about the level A, and then the lighter solution was run into the other tube from a burette, till it just began to trickle over the shoulder and run down to A. The proper solutions were then run into the two limbs at rates just sufficient to keep the junction near A; after some practice this could be done quite well, and the tubes filled without much disturbing the junction.

The current was passed from platinum electrodes, which could be connected with a battery of twenty-six accumulators by means of platinum wires passing through the