Note 29 — Chapter I · ON WATER AND ITS COMPOUNDS

If a volume of gas v be measured under a pressure of h mm. of mercury (at 0°) and at a temperature t° Centigrade, then, according to the combined laws of Boyle, Mariotte, and of Gay-Lussac, its volume at 0° and 760 mm. will equal the product of v into 760 divided by the product of h into 1 + at°, where a is the co-efficient of expansion of gases, which is equal to 0·00367. The weight of the gas will be equal to its volume at 0° and 760 mm. multiplied by its density referred to air and by the weight of one volume of air at 0° and 760 mm. The weight of one litre of air under these conditions being = 1·293 gram. If the density of the gas be given in relation to hydrogen this must be divided by 14·4 to bring it in relation to air. If the gas be measured when saturated with aqueous vapour, then it must be reduced to the volume and weight of the gas when dry, according to the rules given in Note 1. If the pressure be determined by a column of mercury having a temperature t, then by dividing the height of the column by 1 + 0·00018t the corresponding height at 0° is obtained. If the gas be enclosed in a tube in which a liquid stands above the level of the mercury, the height of the column of the liquid being = H and its density = D, then the gas will be under a pressure which is equal to the barometric pressure less HD / 13·59 , where 13·59 is the density of mercury. By these methods the quantity of a gas is determined, and its observed volume reduced to normal conditions or to parts by weight. The physical data concerning vapours and gases must be continually kept in sight in dealing with and measuring gases. The student must become perfectly familiar with the calculations relating to gases.