Magnetic Susceptibility of Gases.—The results of a previous paper by Honda and Okuba (Phys. Rev., Vol. 13, 1919, p. 6) are considered, certain important errors noted, and some aspects of the assumptions further examined and developed. The susceptibility is not the same whether or not the gyroscopic nutation of the molecules persists, and the apparent check with Langevin's result is shown to be in error. A gas is shown to be diamagnetic or paramagnetic, on this theory, according as the nutation does or does not persist. This result holds, at least without further investigation, only for smooth spherical molecules rather than as stated. A discussion is given of the effect of thermal impacts on gyroscopic motion of this type.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.16.438