It will come from one side
of this partition to superpose itself on the hydrostatic pressure,
which latter must have the same value on both sides.
The analogy with a perfect gas naturally becomes much greater as the
solution becomes more diluted. It then imitates gas in some other
properties; the internal work of the variation of volume is nil, and
the specific heat is only a function of the temperature. A solution
which is diluted by a reversible method is cooled like a gas which
expands adiabatically.[17]
[Footnote 17: That is, without receiving or emitting any heat.--ED.]
It must, however, be acknowledged that, in other points, the analogy
is much less perfect. The opinion which sees in solution a phenomenon
resembling fusion, and which has left an indelible trace in everyday
language (we shall always say: to melt sugar in water) is certainly
not without foundation. Certain of the reasons which might be invoked
to uphold this opinion are too evident to be repeated here, though
others more recondite might be quoted. The fact that the internal
energy generally becomes independent of the concentration when the
dilution reaches even a moderately high value is rather in favour of
the hypothesis of fusion.
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