An examination of some methods employed in determining the atomic weight of Cadmium — John Shaqi
An examination of some methods employed in determining the atomic weight of CadmiumBucher, John Emery
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An examination of some methods employed in determining the atomic weight of Cadmium
Bucher, John Emery
Cadmium; Thesis (Ph. D.)
After having done the work which has just been described, we are in a
position to turn to the oxalate method, which is the first method
described in this paper. It involves the decomposition of cadmium
nitrate, and is therefore affected by an error from this source, only it
is not as large as in case of the oxide method. If 2.95650 grammes of
cadmium oxide prepared in a porcelain crucible contain .00081 grammes of
impurity, an error of −.24 of a unit would be introduced in the atomic
weight as determined by the oxide method or +.10 in case the oxalate
method were employed. That is the oxalate should give about 112.48 for
the atomic weight of cadmium, but it really gives a very much lower
result. Morse and Jones obtained 112.04 ± .035 by it, while Partridge
obtained 111.81 ± .035 by it. If we take 112.38 for the atomic weight of
cadmium, there appears to be a second error of .44 of a unit in the
method as used by Morse and Jones, while Partridge’s result indicates an
error of .57 of a unit. Partridge only moistened the oxide obtained from
the oxalate with a few drops of nitric acid before making the final
heating, and it seems probable therefore that he made no appreciable
error on account of the final oxide retaining products of decomposition
from cadmium nitrate. The most probable cause of this large error seems
probably to be incomplete dehydration of the oxalate, or reduction to
metal during the decomposition of the oxalate, and subsequent
volatilization of some of it, or a combination of both of these. The
nine determinations given in the earlier part of this paper of course
vary so much that they are of no value whatever in determining the
atomic weight. The reason that the first four are low is probably due in
part to sublimation of cadmium, for on dissolving the resulting oxide in
nitric acid a considerable quantity of metal was noticed in each case.
In the others, the temperature was kept lower, and the decomposition
took a longer time. No metal was observed on taking up in nitric acid.
To be certain of what the cause of error is would require some very
carefully conducted experiments, but as there are a number of much more
reliable methods for determining the atomic weight of cadmium, it does
not seem desirable to spend the time required in making them. It should
be mentioned that Lenssen, in 1860, first employed this method. He made
three determinations. 1.5697 grms of cadmium oxalate giving 1.0047
grammes of oxide, which gives a value of 112.043 for the atomic weight
of cadmium . The difference between the highest and lowest determination
was .391 of a unit.
Other Methods
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