Note 12 bis — Chapter XXIV · COPPER, SILVER, AND GOLD

Ball (also Kamensky), 1888, by investigating the electrical conductivity of the alloys of antimony and copper with lead, came to the conclusion that only two definite compounds of antimony and copper exist, whilst the other alloys are either alloys of these two together or with antimony or with copper. These compounds are Cu2Sb and Cu4Sb—one corresponds with the maximum, and the other with the minimum, electrical resistance. In general, the resistance offered to an electrical current forms one of the methods by which the composition of definite alloys (for example, Pb2Zn7) is often established, whilst the electromotive force of alloys affords (Laurie, 1888) a still more accurate method—for instance, several definite compounds were discovered by this method among the alloys of copper with zinc and tin; but we will not enter into any details of this subject, because we avoid all references to electricity, although the reader is recommended to make himself acquainted with this branch of science, which has many points in common with chemistry. The study of alloys regarded as solid solutions should, in my opinion, throw much light upon the question of solutions, which is still obscure in many aspects and in many branches of chemistry.