Page:The fundamental laws of electrolytic conduction.djvu/55

 {|width=80%
 * Iron||| 28|||Potassa  |||47.2
 * Copper||| 31.6|||Magnesia  |||20.7
 * Cadmium||| 55.8|||Soda |||31.3
 * Cerium||| 46|||Lithia|||18
 * Cobalt||| 29.5|||Baryta|||76.7
 * Nickel||| 29.5|||Strontia|||51.8
 * Antimony||| 64.6(?) |||Lime |||28
 * Bismuth||| 71|||Alumina|||(?)
 * Mercury||| 200|||Protoxides generally
 * Silver||| 108||| Quinia|||171.6
 * Platina||| 98.6 (?) |||Cinchona |||160
 * Gold||| (?) ||| Morphia|||290
 * colspan="2" | ||| Vegeto-alkalies generally
 * Ammonia||| 17
 * }
 * Mercury||| 200|||Protoxides generally
 * Silver||| 108||| Quinia|||171.6
 * Platina||| 98.6 (?) |||Cinchona |||160
 * Gold||| (?) ||| Morphia|||290
 * colspan="2" | ||| Vegeto-alkalies generally
 * Ammonia||| 17
 * }
 * Gold||| (?) ||| Morphia|||290
 * colspan="2" | ||| Vegeto-alkalies generally
 * Ammonia||| 17
 * }
 * Ammonia||| 17
 * }
 * }

This table might be further arranged into groups of such substances as either act with, or replace, each other. Thus, for instance, acids and bases act in relation to each other; but they do not act in association with oxygen, hydrogen, or elementary substances. There is indeed little or no doubt that, when the electrical relations of the particles of matter come to be closely examined, this division must be made. The simple substances, with cyanogen, sulpho-cyanogen, and one or two other compound bodies, will probably form the first group; and the acids and bases, with such analogous compounds as may be proved to be ions, the second group. Whether these will include all ions, or whether a third class of more complicated results will be required, must be decided by future experiments.

It is probable that all our elementary bodies are ions, but that is not yet certain. There are some, such as carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, silicon, boron, aluminum, the right of which to the title of ion it is desirable to decide as soon as possible. There are also many compound bodies, and among them alumina and silica, which it is desirable to class immediately by unexceptional experiments. It is also possible, that all combinable bodies, compound as well as simple, may enter into the class of ions; but at present it does not seem to me probable. Still the experimental evidence I have is so small in proportion to what must gradually accumulate around, and bear upon, this point, that I am afraid to give a strong opinion upon it.