The bulk chemical properties of an impregnated chromia-alumina catalyst with respect to several gases, CO, C02, C3H6, were determined as a function of the degree of oxidation of the surface of the catalyst. The importance of the results lies in the demonstration that a simple method described herein can be used to obtain significant data on catalytic surfaces. Briefly, the prior adsorption of oxygen by the catalyst tended to promote the adsorption of carbon monoxide and to prohibit the adsorption of carbon dioxide. Far more carbon monoxide was adsorbed by the highly oxidized surface than could be accounted for on the basis of adsorbed carbon dioxide. The quantity of propylene adsorbed also increased with an increase in the oxidation of the surface. The results are explained on the basis of two types of adsorbed oxygen atoms.