Referee's report by James Clerk Maxwell, on a paper 'On certain dimensional properties of matter in the gaseous state. - Part I. Experimental researches on thermal transpiration of gases through porous plates and on the laws of transpiration and impulsion, including an experimental proof that gas is not a continuous plenum. - Part II. On an extension of the dynamical theory of gas, which includes the stresses, tangential and normal, caused by a varying condition of gas, and affords an explanation of the phenomena of transpiration and impulsion' by Osborne Reynolds
Reference number: RR/8/188
Date: 28 March 1879

Description
Recommended for publication in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'. Finds it harder to report on the mathematical second part than the first part. Refers to work of William Crookes, Thomas Graham, M M Kundt and Emil Warburg. The observations are a new discovery. Suggests repeating the experiments whilst testing the temperature of the plates. Suggests the mathematical part should be revised. The theorum should be explained with more care, and the mathematical steps explained more clearly.
Subject: Physics and Chemistry
[Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 1879]
- Reference number
- RR/8/188
- Earliest possible date
- 28 March 1879
- Physical description
- Letter on paper
- Page extent
- 12 pages
- Format
- Manuscript
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James Clerk Maxwell, Referee's report by James Clerk Maxwell, on a paper 'On certain dimensional properties of matter in the gaseous state. - Part I. Experimental researches on thermal transpiration of gases through porous plates and on the laws of transpiration and impulsion, including an experimental proof that gas is not a continuous plenum. - Part II. On an extension of the dynamical theory of gas, which includes the stresses, tangential and normal, caused by a varying condition of gas, and affords an explanation of the phenomena of transpiration and impulsion' by Osborne Reynolds, 28 March 1879, RR/8/188, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_8_188/referees-report-by-james-clerk-maxwell-on-a-paper-on-certain-dimensional-properties-of-matter-in-the-gaseous-state-part-i-experimental-researches-on-thermal-transpiration-of-gases-through-porous-plates-and-on-the-laws-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-including-an-experimental-proof-that-gas-is-not-a-continuous-plenum-part-ii-on-an-extension-of-the-dynamical-theory-of-gas-which-includes-the-stresses-tangential-and-normal-caused-by-a-varying-condition-of-gas-and-affords-an-explanation-of-the-phenomena-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-by-osborne-reynolds, accessed on 24 June 2025
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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_8_188/referees-report-by-james-clerk-maxwell-on-a-paper-on-certain-dimensional-properties-of-matter-in-the-gaseous-state-part-i-experimental-researches-on-thermal-transpiration-of-gases-through-porous-plates-and-on-the-laws-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-including-an-experimental-proof-that-gas-is-not-a-continuous-plenum-part-ii-on-an-extension-of-the-dynamical-theory-of-gas-which-includes-the-stresses-tangential-and-normal-caused-by-a-varying-condition-of-gas-and-affords-an-explanation-of-the-phenomena-of-transpiration-and-impulsion-by-osborne-reynolds
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Referees' reports on scientific papers submitted to the Royal Society for publication
1831- Reference number: RR -
Referees' reports: volume 8, peer reviews of scientific papers submitted to the Royal Society for publication
1877-1881 Reference number: RR/8
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James Clerk Maxwell
Referee -
Osborne Reynolds
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Referee Reports
This collection contains reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society. Started in 1832 when the system was formalised, it is a record of the origins of peer review publishing in practice.
Dates: 1832 - 1954
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