Effect of Hydrogen Ion on the Rates of Migration of Sodium and Potassium Ions

Abstract

BECAUSE of its high mobility, H⁺ is superior to other cations as a source of diffusion potentials. From the differences between the mobilities of Na⁺ and K⁺ it could be anticipated that in the simultaneous diffusion of these three cations the effect of the diffusion potential of H⁺ on the rates of migration of Na⁺ and K⁺ would not be equal. As shown, for example, by Vinograd and McBain, the diffusion potential of H⁺ has a distinct effect on the rate of migration of K⁺ in the system of simultaneous diffusion of H⁺ and K⁺¹. The effect of diffusion of H⁺ on ionic distribution in the system of steady state has been examined by Teorell². The fact that little attention has been paid to the effect of H⁺ on the selective migration of Na⁺ and K⁺ may be due to technical difficulties in the determination of these cations in the same fluid before the era of flame photometry.