252. ---------------. [BERTHELOT, M.] [Chemical Equilibrium Between Hydrogen and the Oxides of Carbon.] Ann. Chim. Phys., ser. 7, vol. 14, 1898, pp. 170-176; Jour. Chem. Soc., vol. 2, 1899, p. 286. CO2 when heated at high temperatures is partly dissociated into CO and O2. In the presence of C or H2, the O2 thus liberated is employed in oxidizing this element, and further dissociation of CO2 must take place to preserve the equilibrium. When a mixture of CO2 and H2 is raised to a high temperature, equilibrium is established, not between the binary systems (CO2+H2) and (CO+H2O) but between the more complicated system [(n-a) CO2+a (CO+O)] resulting from the partial dissociation of steam [(m-B) H2O+B (H2+O)] and a further complication results from the dissociation of CO which reacts as follows: [pCO=(p-2)CO+CO2+C]. This explanation is based on the observed behavior of these compounds at high temperatures, each of them dissociating in the manner indicated, independent of the presence of the others. |