ss 



KXTBACT FROM T0& MONITEUK. 



Extract from the Moniteur qfJuIi/ the 5t/i, 1810, referred fi 

 in the preceding paper- Translated from the Frmch hy 

 T. O.C. 



y efoxidcs of 

 the alkalis 

 treated with 

 acids. 



Inferences, 



Quantity of 

 ■water in the 

 alkalis exa- 

 mined. 



Jl H^^E oxide»^ [the peroxides] present with some acid 

 gasses ph'.iiomeiia worthy of attention. Messrs. Gay- 

 Lussac and T henard observed, that with carbonic acid gas 

 the result"^ were, an alkaline carbonate and an evolution of 

 oxij^en gas: that with sulphurous gas and oxide of potas- 

 giura a sulphate and oxi gen were obtained; and that with 

 this gas and oxide of sodium the produce was only a great 

 deal of sulphate and a little sulphuret : that not the slight-r- 

 est trace of moisture was given out in any case; and that the 

 weight of the products obtained corresponded precisely to 

 those of the oxide employed and the acid absorbed: Now 

 as in the combustion of potassium and of sodium nothing if 

 evolved, or no volatile product formed ; we perceive, that, if 

 these metals be hvdrurets, it is a necessary consequence, 

 that the sulphates and carbonates of potash and soda, and 

 no doubt all the salts that have these alcalis for their base, 

 •ontain as much water, as the hidrogen of these hidrurets 

 ean torm by combining with oxigeu, and that they retain it 

 at a very high temperature; which is possible, but which 

 nothing has hitherto proved. If it were so, a farther conse- 

 quence would be, that potash and soda contain much more 

 water, than Messrs. d'Arcet and Berthollet admit in them : 

 for these alkaliw would contain not only the water which is 

 extricated on combining them with acids, but likewife that 

 which the fait formed is capable of retaining. It was of 

 fome use to determine directly the first of these two quan- 

 tities of water; and this Messrs. Gay-Lussac and Thenard 

 have ^one» For this purpose they qqnvertjed into alkali, 

 gradually and by means of humid air, feveial grammes of 

 potassium and sodium, and saturated them with sulphuric 

 acid diluted with water. On the other hand, having em- 

 ployed the same acid to saturate pure potash and soda that 

 Jiad been heated red hot; and having taken an account, in 

 all the saturations, of the acid employed, as well as of the 



m«till 



