Graham, THOMAS

Graham, THOMAS, a Scottish chemist, was born in Glasgow, 21st December 1805. Having studied at Glasgow and Edinburgh, he became in 1830 professor of Chemistry in his native city, and in 1837 he accepted the corresponding chair at University College, London. In 1855 he was appointed Master of the Mint, and resigned his professorship. He died in London, 16th September 1869. His name is most closely associated with the subject of the molecular diffusion of gases, his researches in connection with which led him to formulate the law 'that the diffusion rate of gases is inversely as the square root of their density.' Amongst his important memoirs on chemistry we may mention the following: 'Absorption of Gases by Liquids;' 'Absorption of Vapours by Liquids;' 'Law of Diffusion of Gases;' 'Researches on the Arseniates, Phosphates, and Modifications of Phosphoric Acid;' 'Motion of Gases, their Effusion and Transpiration;' 'Diffusion of Liquids;' 'Liquid Diffusion applied to Analysis;' 'Liquid Transpiration in Relation to Chemical Composition;' and 'Molecular Mobility of Gases.' These were contributed to various scientific journals, and were collected in 1876. His excellent Elements of Chemistry appeared in 1837. See Life and Works of Graham, by Dr R. Angus Smith (Glasgow, 1884).