140 



ACTION OF PHOSPHORUS* 



Copper power 

 fully adcd on, 



Copper, 



No metallic folution was more ftrongly attacked by pliof- 

 phorus than that of copper in nitric acid. The phofphoius 

 was no fooner introduced intp the (olution of copper, than it 

 affumed a black colour. In twenty -four hours it was covered 

 with a ftratum of metallic copper in very thin layers *; and 

 the folution had become much paler. The application of heat 

 caufed drops of phofphorus to flow out upon the reduced 

 copper, where they immediately affiimed a black colour. 

 Tbefe drops after a time were in their turn covered with a 

 Compfetely pre- metallic coat of copper. After this the folution was perfedly 

 3^ Lkiioo. colourlefs, and ammonia did not dete6t in it the leaft par- 

 ticle of metal. 



Tin partly re- 

 duced, partly 

 converted iato 

 phofpbure. 



Tin. 



Several bits of phofphorus were put into a folution of tin 

 in nitro muriatic acid. The next day the phofphorus was 

 coloured of a deep brown, only in fome parts a metallic co- 

 lour was obfervable. Thefe metallic fpots difappeared on 

 boiling, and the phofphorus became ftill deeper coloured. 



cafe of particu- 

 larly malleable 

 copper impervl 

 00& to air. 



Sttlphatc of cop- * In making this experiment with a folution of fulphate of cop- 

 per forms a beau- pg^^ and flightly heating the mixture, at firft a vapour arifes, con- 

 exper . ^j^jj^g ^f phofphorus gas, that carries off with it fome fmall particles 

 The phofphorus of phoiphonis, which take fire on the furface of the folution : but 

 enveloped in a tjjg extrication of this vapour foon ceafes, and the phofphorus be- 

 comes hermetically enclofed in a box of copper, in which it is de- 

 fended againft any farther a61ion of the fulphate, and even of the 

 air, to' whatever temperature fhort of fufmg the copper it be after- 

 wards expofed. The plate of copper that forms this covering is 

 two or three lines thick : it poffefles more tenacity than common 

 copper, for it may be flattened with a hammer in different direc- 

 tions without cracking, which at the fame time proves the great 

 compreflibility of the phofphorus; and it fhines with a very pure 

 metallic luftre. On opening the box carefully with a cutting in- 

 ftrument, the phofphorus is found in it retaining pe;fe£lly its form> 

 filling its copper cafe completely, and not appearing even to have 

 afted upon the fulphate. 

 Other metals did I did not obtain the fame effe6^ with feveral other metals which I 

 "ff a '*'"*^^ '^'* tried, no doubt on account of their containing more oxigen. 



VAN MONS. 



Manganefc^ 



