0» THE HYPBaOXiMURIATB OF POTASB*^ ^ 



HU next questions are :— «" But what becomes of that per- Farther ques- 



tion of oxigen which is liberated? Does it unite with the**®"^* 



remainder of the oximuriatic acid, and so united, do they 



combine with the remaining oxide of potassium ? or, is it 



attracted by the already saturated oxide, and that too in the 



face of a superior affinity ?" According to the explanation Answer oa the 



which has been given by Mr. Davy, these objections cer- supposjuoa 



. that poiassiun 



tainly present themselves; but if we agree with Mr. Mur- ,3 united with 



ray*, that potassium is the basis of the alkali united with ^'v^ogen, 

 hidrogen, a circumstance which I think that able chemist 

 has proved from the experiments he has made, and from those 

 of Gay-Lussac and Thenard, they are in a great measure re- 

 moved. When hidrogen unites by combubtion with oxigeo, 

 the product which is obtained is invariably water, which 

 Mr. Davy supposes to be the union ot these gasses in k neu- 

 tralized state. Hence as the union of potassium with oxi- 

 gen is always attended with combustion, there is great pro- 

 ba)>ility, that the hidrogen of the potassium unites with 

 oxigen and forms water, and we obtain, instead of an oxide 

 of potassium, as has bee • supposed, a hydrate; or pure 

 alkali is the unknown base combined with water. That * 



thiols the case is also probable, from the very strong at- 

 traction alkali has for its water of crystallization, from 

 which both Mr. Davy and Mr. Berthollet say it cannot be 

 entirely freed at a very high temperature : after it has beeii 

 freed from the water it holds in superabundance, I would 

 suppose, it then requires the aid of a chemical agent, pow- 

 erful enough to decompose the water it still retains, thus 

 liberating the oxigen, whilst the hidrogen remains united to ' 



the unknown base, forming potassium. Agiiu, as oximuri- 

 atic acid can unite with water, it requires no twisting of 

 theory to suppose, that the hyperoximuriate of potash is a' 

 triple compound consisting of oximuriatic acid, water, and 

 the unknown base, having, perhaps, by the combined affinity 

 of the water and this base an excess of oximuriatic acrd^ 

 and of course no evolution of gas would take place. This 

 opinion might be extended a little farther, and .we may 

 account for the disengagement of oxigen from the liyper^ 



• See Mr. Murray*s paper, Number for Apiil. 



oximurlafc 



