NEW BOOKS

---

NEW BOOKS Mesure des Temperatures elevees. By H. L e C'hatelier et 0. Boudouard. (BibliothBgue de la Revue gBn6vale des Sciences). z4 x 22 cm I. pp. 220. Pavis : Geoifges C a i d et C. Nnud, 1900. Price: cloth, 5 f r a n c s . -Pyrometry, which was formerly a mere comparison of different available temperature functions, is now ripening into a science of considerable rigor, in proportion as the air thermometry of high temperatures is being more fully mastered. The errors at 1000' will not exceed IOO on the absolute scale, though at 1 5 0 0 ~they may run as high as 50". I n the very readable book before us, Le Chatelier and his assistant have given a terse and practical account of the subject, which, from the broad pyrometric experience of the former, is obviously trustworthy throughout. The introductory chapters contain a selection of standard data, a discus sion of the meaning of absolute temperature, a description of the normal (hydrogen) air thermometer at the Bureau International, an enumeration of the errors incident to high temperature air thermometry, and like matter, all very useful and well digested. Nothing is said, however, of the remarkable work which Holborn and Day are doing at the Reichsansfalt, nor of their great find that the platinum-iridium alloy is impervious to nitrogen ( t h e best of pyrometric gases), and rigid at the highest temperatures. Under displacement air thermometry there is a similar lapse, seeing that it is left without reference to Victor Meyer, who is the virtual creator of the suhject in its modern aspects. I t seems inexcusable in a chemist to overlook the Pyroclzemische Untevsuchungen, " with their abundance of information on molecular stability at high temperatures. The remarkable interferential pyrometer due to D. Berthelot, (paired beams of light passing through tubes of like low density, the decrement being produced in one case by low pressure, in the other by high temperature), together with other new apparatus, is fully described. I n calorimetric pyrometry (Le Chatelier gives diagrams of serviceable apparatus). Nickel has recently been substituted for anomalous iron and expensive platinum. Callendar-and Griffiths's perfected Siemens pyrometer, now the most accurate of instruments for temperatures ranging below IOOOO almost as far down as the absolute zero of temperature, is conscientiously described, and a long chapter, with details as to couples, galvanometers, furnaces, crucibles, is naturally devoted to thermoelectric pyrometry, in which Le Chatelier himself has been so usefully interested. The discussion of radiation pyrometry is inadequate in so far as it contains no inkling of the labors of Wien, Lummer, Planck, and others who are successfully recasting the subject. To photometric radiation pyrometry much space is given. The final chapter on Serger's cones (earthy mixtures of known fusing ('

New Books

395

or sagging points), may be of interest to chemists, thongh these cones are now obtainable in the market. The book will be a faithful mentor to anybody interested in pyrochemistry ; and since Nernst has discoTered that at high temperatures all earths are electrolytic conductors of a peculiar kind (of a kind in which there is certainly electrolysis with either anion or cation apparent), a field of great chemical imC. Bavus portance is likely to be opened in this direction. Vorlesungen uber hydrodynamische Fernkrafte, nach C. A. Bjerknes’ Theorie. By V. B j w k n e s . Band 1. 17 X 26 cm; j j . x v i f33S. Leipzig: Johann Ambitosius Bavth, 1900. * P k e : papev, I O mavks. - Among the attempts to explain the nature of force in terms of the medium through which it acts, those based on the hydrodynamics of an incompressible, frictionless fluid seem most at hand, inasmuch as the inevitable ether is gixen as such a fluid at the outset. The irrotationally moving fluid surrounding a vortex has been used as a field of this kind by Kelvin; and J. J. Thomson has shown at length, that whereas stable groups of aggregated vortices are possible up to eight in number, beyond this all grouping becomes unstable, thus suggesting close relations to atomicity. The technical difficulties in the way of the vortex hypothesis have barred its progress. On the other hand, the vibratory and pulsating theory, which had an independent origin throughout and need not be incompatible with the former, has now maiiy achieLements in its favor. That force can be derived from the impact of a nave train is evidenced by the radiometer, but the mechanism of this apparatus is too complex to be suitable. Kelvin showed that waves lash the boundary of the medium with a pressure per square centimeter equal to the product of half the density of the medium and the square of the wave velocity. Mayer’s famous experiment with pivoted resonators rotating In the acoustic field of their own notes was shortly after its discovery explained by Rayleigh, proving that the internal pressure in a resonator exceeds atmospheric pressure, so that a force exists at the mouth directed normally inward. Long before all this, before Faraday had proclaimed his doctrine of lines of force, and before Maxwell had developed that doctrine, indeed dmost before Kelvin had published his method for the solution of hydrodynamic problems by Hamilton’s principle, the elder Bjerknes had independently become dissatisfied with “action at a distance”, and had tentatively suggestedaremedy. As far back as 1868 (Maxwell’s great treatise was completed in 1873),with the simplest of media (frictionless, incompressible fluid), and the geometrically simplest solid ( a sphere), Bjerknes had found that the force actuating the center of one of two spheres and arising in a second rnoling sphere, has the same intensity and direction as if the former were absent, and is equal to the acceleration in question multiplied by 3/2 of the medium displaced by the first sphere certainly a suggestive proposition, though it did not then predict Newton’s third law. Meanwhile Kirchhoff had adopted Kelvin’s hydrodynamic method, and had developed it for problems of precisely the present kiiid, with his usual ability. Bjerknes was then able to apply the Kelvin-Kirchhoff investigation to his own researches with such success as not only to deduce the law of action

396

New Books

and reaction as a necessary property of his own mechanism, but to show that pulsating spheres act on each other through the medium by stressing it into a field of force mutatis mutandis identical in character with the action on each other of magnetic or electrical molecules. These papers have been much sought after by physicists, in spite of their inaccessibility and the fact that demonstrations were often withheld. I t is therefore fortunate that the younger Bjerknes, an equally able investigator, has collected the work of his father in a systematic treatise, of which the first volume is now before us. As above indicated, the book treats at length of the motion (vibration, translation) of a system of spheres of variable (pulsating) volume) submerged in the ideal fluid stated, preliminarily to deriving action a t a distance from purely hydrodynamic phenomena. The book is therefore not without interest to the chemist, for the behavior of molecules imbedded in ether is precisely such as falls within the scope of Bjerknes’s investigation. It would be going too far to examine the work in detail, and such an exaniination, without mathematics, would be most unsatisfactory. Investigations like the present are usually made by deriving the particular equations of motion, and then so transforming them that they may be identical in character with those of the known phenomenon which it is aimed to explain. The remainder of the work is an interpretation of corresponding ternis, parameters, and constants. Suffice it to add, therefore, that in 1878 Bjerknes investigated the condition of rotational stability of the axis of permanent oscillation of spheres in an oscillating medium, and found both a pulsating pair or a single oscillating sphere to be subject to torque, the final link in his argument. A reexamination thus reveals that Newton’s first, second, and third laws have all been deduced, inclusive, of course, of inertia. Hydrodynamic forces may be superposed, which is a predication of vector summation. They are independent of the velocity of the body actuated. The system admits of concealed motions (potential energy) ; it is subject to the law of the conservation of energy, and its potential to Laplace’s equation. In a general way, hydrodynamic forces vary as the product of the volumes (ultimatelymasses) of mutually reacting spheres. Specifically, two identically pulsating spheres attract each other, two oppositely pulsating spheres repel each other, with a force varying as the density of the medium and the intensity of pulsation, and inversely as the square of their distance apart. Furthermore, action of magnetic character (attraction, repulsion, rotation) occurs between oscillating and pulsating systems. Finally, heavy spheres of opposed pulsations attract each other at long ranges and repel each other at short ranges, with a position of stable equilibrium for an intermediate range. The converse holds for spheres lighter than the medium. I t is hardly necessary to give further examples of the contents of this remarkable book. The author has been gracious in collecting the chief dynamic and hydrodynamic principles in the introduction, for the convenience of the reader, but a good working knowledge of applied mathematics is necessarily presupposed. C. Bavus Vorlesungen iiber theoretische und physikalische Chemie. Dvittes HeJt : Beziehungen zwischen Eigenschaften ?dnd Zusamnzensetzung. By J . H.

a

.. ./.

397

New Books

van ' t Hof. 15 X 23 cm ; pp. x -C r36. Braunschweig : F. Viezeieg und Sohn, 1900.-This third and last part of the work deals with the relations between properties and composition. The physical properties are first considered. We find a discussion of the gas laws, and of the modifications proposed by van der Waals and by Clausius. with special reference to corresponding states, relation between the critical and the theoretical volume, the theorem of the rectilinear diameter, and Berthelot's conclusions in regard to the density of liquids. The additive and constitutive volume relations are next considered, there are a few words on pressure phenomena, and then we come to temperature relations. Here we have the boiling-points of isomers and the change of the boiling-point with the molecular weight, with the nature of the substituting radicals, and with the molecular symmetry. The next section very naturally deals with latent heat of vaporization, and with the specific heats of solid, liquid, and gaseous elements and compounds. A fifth section treats of the relation between surface-tension and molecular weight, while the optical phenomena are discussed in the sixth' section. The relation between chemical properties and the composition is divided into two rather long chapters and one very short one. In the first we are shonn that the properties of a compound stand in some relation to the properties of the composing elements : in the second, attention is drawn to the modification of the properties of an element by the nature of the other elements in the compounds, while the third chapter deals with such substances as the iodonium compounds where the properties are entirely abnormal. This is a very interesting and clever method of dividing the subject and one wishes that a final chapter had been added in which there could have been a discussion of the reasons why certain compounds come in one of the three classes rather than in either of the other two. Of course, these reasons are hinted at in the text, so far as they are known ; but there are few things so conducive to progress as a clear succinct statement of what we do and do not know. Wilder D. Bancroft Analyse Blectrochimique. By E d g a r F. Smith. Tralzslated jrom the Second, Ameirican, Editiolz, by Joseph Rosset. rr X r9 cm ; x v i 203 pp. Paris : Gauthier- Villars, r9oo. Price : paper, 3 fyancs. - I t is quite an encouraging sign to find an American textbook on electrochemical chemistry appearing in a French translation. The book is divided into three parts : apparatus and a brief historical sketch ; determination of metals ; separation of metals, In the second part, methods are given for determining copper, cadmium, mercury, bismuth, silver, zinc, nickel and cobalt, manganese, iron, uranium, thallium, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, molybdenum, gold, tin, antimony, arsenic. In the third part, methods are given, so far as known, for separating any one of the preceding metals from any of the others. In some respects the book is excellent ; in others it is open to criticism. The literature references are full and data published last year by Miss Kollock have been included. In too many cases, however, the current is given in terms of the gas voltameter; thedefinitions of volt, ohm, and ampere (p. 7 ) are unsatisfactory from a theoretical and a practical.point of view ; the (Veston ammeters

+

398

New Books

are not mentioned, though they are much superior to the Kohlrausch instrument; the electromotive force of the Clark cell is not 1.457 volts. Although the book is intended merely as a laboratory manual, the reviewer would have liked to have seen a brief statement why two metals can be separated in one solution and not in another. For the benefit of the teacher, if not for that of the student, i t mould have been well to have indicated why the metals were taken up in one particular order, rather than in any other. These shortconiings may seem trifles to many ; but ‘ I trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.” Wilder D. Bancroft

Uber freiwillige Oxydation. Beitrage z u r Kenntnis der Autoxydation und S u u e r s t o ~ a k t i v i e r v z ~ By . LV. Manchot. 15 X 23 c77z ; pp. 48. L i e p z i g : Veit und Comp, 1900. Price: 1.50 mai,ks.-When oxanthranol in aqueous solution was oxidized by air, it was found that the ratio of hydrogen peroxid to decomposed oxanthranol was less than unity, and that the value was smaller, the slower the oxidation. Experiment showed that the oxauthranol was oxidized by the hydrogen peroxid. Addition of barium hydroxid eliminated this source of error, sparingly soluble barium peroxid being formed. Under these circumstances exactly one-half the oxygen is made active. The same result was obtained when dihydrophenanthrenequinone, hydrochrysoquinone, or hydroretenquinone was substituted for oxanthranol. The same ratio was obtained with two hydrazo compounds. Curiously enough, the author does not look upon these facts as confirming van ’t Hoff Is theory. The pamphlet closes with a discussion of the effect of alkali upon autoxidation. This section is not developed in a very satisfactory manner and we are left with a confused impression of change of dissociation, hypothetical rate of oxidation of ions, and catalytic action of free alkali. Wilder D. Baucvoft La Liquefaction des Gaz et ses applications. By I u l i e n Lef2vre. ( E n c y clopkdie scientz&zre des aide-mdmoire j . r2 X 19 c m ; p p . 174. Paris : Gauthier- Villars. Pm’ce: paprr, 2.50; boards, 3 francs. -The arrangement is slightly different from that in the other works on the subject. There is first a short chapter on the general thermodynamic theory of gases, and this is followed by chapters on the liquefaction of gases ; the reduction of the permanent ’ gases to static liquids ; special investigations with acetylene, ozone, fluorin, argon, and helium ; liquefaction of gases on a commercial scale ; keeping liquefied gases and properties of the same ; studies near the critical point ; application of liquefied gases ; freezing machines. The general impression is that the order of the chapters must have been determined by lot. Wilder D. Bancroft Lesons d’optique geometrique. A I’usage des ElPves de m a t h e m a t i p e s spkciales. By E . Wallon. z6 X 25 cnz; pp. 343. Paris: Gauthier-Viilars, 1900. Pvice: paper, 9 francs. -If the reader is desirous of perusing a rigorous and elegantly written treatise on geometric optics, he will do well to consult this book. The somewhat familiar works of Heath and of Parkinson are more abrupt. Having done so, however, if he expects to be familiar with the modern microscope, telescope, spectroscope, or the variously intricate photographic

New Books

399

lenses, he ail1 be unhappily disappointed. The setting given to Gauss’s contributions, which revolutionized geometric optics, is out of proportion in its meagerness ; and the (diffractive) work of Abbe, with its fundamental bearing on the modern practice of optical construction, lies beyond the scope of the book. All this is in strong contrast with the admirable work of Czapski, or of Strehl, for instance, men who bear in mind that whoever reads geometric optics nowadays is likely to do i t for practical purposes. c.Barus Modes operatoires des Essais du Commerce e t de I’Industrie. By L. Guniasse et R. Zwilling. Avecprkface de Ch. Girard. zz X 17 cnz ; viii 302pp. Paris: Georges C a r d et C. N a u d , z900. Price: cloth, 6 fvancs. “ U n trait6 que n’est ni trop elementaire, ni trop savant, d’abord facile et pourtant precis, livre de classe et livre de laboratoire-tel me parait Ctre le nianuel d’analyse de M M . I,.Guniasse etR. Zwilling” from the preface de PrPf a c e de M. Ch. Girard. Twelve pages are devoted to tables for the detection of acids and bases, six more to a list of the reactions of the commoner elements, and organic salts, arranged alphabetically, eight pages suffice to explain the principles of quantitative analysis, and the remainder of the book is divided into chapters on the technical analysis of waters, air, minerals, and inorganic preparation, sugar, petroleum, ore, rubber, dyestuff, milk, soap. textiles, vinegar, ales, spirits, urine, etc., etc. I n addition to the usual chemical and electrochemical operations, the use of the microscope, polariscope, lactoscope, ebulliscope, and various flash-point apparatus are described ; as is also that of the “ Dazymetre ”, a small testing machine for determining the tensile strength of paper. The descriptions, though condensed, are clear and in most cases detailed enough ; and the forty-eight figures are well drawn and clearly printed, W. Lash M i l l e r

+

Analyse chimique qualitative. By M. E . Pozzi-Escot. ( EncyclopPdie scient$que des aide-mPmoive). ia X 19 cm ;pp. 180. Paris : Gauthiei*Yillars. Price : paper, 2.50francs. -This is a condensed summary from the treatises of Carnot and of Ditte. I t has the advantage over some of the briefer manuals that the rare earths are included, Wilder D.Bancvoft