Note 44 — Chapter II · THE COMPOSITION OF WATER, HYDROGEN

There is another explanation of the facility with which hydrogen reacts in a nascent state. We shall afterwards learn that the molecule of hydrogen contains two atoms, H2, but there are elements the molecules of which only contain one atom—for instance, mercury. Therefore, every reaction of gaseous hydrogen must be accompanied by the disruption of that bond which exists between the atoms forming a molecule. At the moment of evolution, however, it is supposed that free atoms exist, and in this condition, according to the hypothesis, act energetically. This hypothesis is not based upon facts, and the idea that hydrogen is condensed at the moment of its evolution is more natural, and is in accordance with the fact (Note 12) that compressed hydrogen displaces palladium and silver (Brunner, Beketoff)—that is, acts as at the moment of its liberation.