Referee's report by Jospeh Larmor, on a paper 'Ionic sizes in relation to the conductivity of electrolytes' by W R Bonsfield

Description

In the calculations made by Sutherland, the ions instead of being "large coherent spheres" as mentioned in Poynting's report, come out to be rather smaller than atoms. Though viscosity of solution naturally affects their conditions, it seems absurd to apply Stokes' law to them. The tables are constructed in such a way that the only way to test whether the agreement is real or due to adjustment of contents, would be to do all the calculations once again in a more succinct manner. There does not seem a very great margin of agreement when the number of available constants is considered. A reference to Sutherland would replace many pages of history at the beginning of the paper.

It may be worth considering whether a substantial abstract containing the experimental results might be accepted for Proceedings, to be attached to the abstract in type which gives an account of Bonsfield's deductions. Publication of the complete discussion in a more regular and cogent form, might be postponed until further experimental evidence is obtained.

[Not published].

Endorsed on verso as received 27 March 1905.

Reference number

RR/16/273

Earliest possible date

25 March 1905

Physical description

Letter on paper

Page extent

2 pages

Format

Manuscript