VI. The specific heats of metals and the relation of specific heat to atomic weight.—Part III

Abstract

The law of Neumann assumes that when an atom enters into chemical combination it retains the same capacity for heat as when in the uncombined or elemental state. This generalisation is, however, based on the values observed for the mean specific heats of elements and their compounds between 0° and 100° C. Attention was directed in Part II. of this investigation to the great differences found in the influence of temperature on the specific heats of various metals, such as aluminium on the one hand, and silver or platinum on the other. The experiments now about to be described were undertaken with the object of ascertaining to what extent these differences persist in the compounds of such elements.