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.