1629 La Vereda Road
Berkeley, California
February 24, 1929
Prof. A. A. Noyes
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, California
Dear Professor Noyes:
I am enclosing some examination questions for the juniors. the material contained in Problem 2 seems to me to be
worth investigation; if the field hasn't been carefully covered already, perhaps experimental data should be obtained on transference
numbers relative to various non-electrolytes in order to test the suggested relation between tw and the assumed constant value
of tR. If the relation is verified, then the measurements provide values of the amount of hydration of ions, eliminating the
X of page 111. Perhaps, though, this is not new -- I have never heard this explanation of the variation of transference numbers
with concentration before, however. Measurements on L1Cl would be especially interesting, for it should show nearly twice
as great change as NaCl.
The third problem should require the application of Onsager's equation to CaCl2, in addition to data on the conductivity
of HC2H3O2, given on page 114.
I have talked with Jack Sherman, and with Hogness and Hildebrand as well. Both Hogness and Hildebrand recommend him.
His brother, an identical twin, will be given a teaching fellowship, with $750 and no tuition, here. He is not unusually prepossessing
in appearance, but he is also not repulsive. His success as a tutor indicates that he will be a good freshman teacher. He
has had one and a half years of research; in this he is extremely industrious and ambitious, but as yet not very clever (in
experimental work). My feeling concerning him is that he will be a satisfactory teacher,and will work very hard at research;
I recommend that he be given a teaching fellowship. He would like to know what decision is made as soon as possible, for he
has made application only at the Institute.
We stayed three days with the Hognesses on arriving here, and then moved into a small house on the hill above the
campus. We are well pleased, and have been glad, too, to meet some of the people here for the first time, especially Professor
Branch and his wife. We went with Professor Lewis to a symphony concert last Sunday, and on next Thursday we are invited to
diner with them. I have not had much scientific talk with him so far; in my lectures he has made only one or two remarks.
The lectures themselves have come off well, after the first. (I was somewhat nervous at being away from Pasadena!) The
Prof. A.A. Noyes -2-
February 24, 1929
chemists attend them rather than the physicists, and my office is in Gilman Hall; as a matter of fact, I haven't
yet seen Williams, so that I'm not in very close touch with the theoretical physicists!
Lamb has returned my paper on the complex acids of tungsten and molybdenum, for he thinks it too speculative. I am
going to look through it carefully to be sure that it is satisfactory, and then, I think, send it to the Zeitschrift für anorganische
und allgem. Chemie. I am sorry, though, that I let Lamb have the other, for the two go together.
I lecture at eleven on Monday and Friday, so that it will be possible for me to come to Pasadena during any week-end,
either that of the 9th or of the 16th of March.
Sincerely
