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     [N] 

      Observations on Behavior of H2 Gas.  S.H. Shakman

Flint's hypothesis of a weight of 4 for H2 gas on a scale of 
32 for O2 gas* is supported by 
 (1) similarities with He gas: 
   (a) He has about 98% the lifting power of H2** and 
   (b) an average of less than 4% separates observed diffusion 
coefficients for He and H2 in the 8 instances affording direct 
comparison listed in references***;
 (2) peculiarities in the behavior of H2 gas as noted by 
   (a) Arrhenius, who referred to hydrogen's cathode ray
absorption-to-density ratio (5610) as a "notable exception" from
the mean [2794=mean for 8 sol- ids (collodium, paper, glass, mica,
aluminum, brass, silver, gold) and 3 gases at 760 mm. Hg. (H2, air,
SO2) as derived by Lenard]; however, when H2 is assigned a weight
of 4  (v.s. 2), its absorption-to-density ratio (2805) correlates closely
with this mean****, and 
   (b) Graham, who commented that the "want of mechanical equivalency 
in hydrogen mixtures is exceedingly remarkable, being a marked departure 
from the usual uniformity of gaseous properties"*****; and  
 (3) previously reported studies involving approximately 200
diffusion coefficients (see [O] The Weight of Hydrogen Gas.)****** 

*FLINT, L.H., Behavior Patterns of Hydration (1964), Ch. 11. 
**CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 1985-6, B-20. 
***CHAPMAN, S., etal, Mathematical Theory of Non-Uniform 
   Gases (1970), 263, 267; and HIRSCHFELDER, J.O., etal., 
   Molecular Theory of Gases and Liquids (1954), 579, 601. 
****ARRHENIUS, S., Theories of Chemistry (1907), 91. 
*****GRAHAM, THOMAS, Elements of Chemistry (1850), 81. 
******SHAKMAN, S.H., Abstracts AAAS, 1986, p. 119 (No. 212). 

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