Il6 Combinations of oximvriatic gas and oxioen. 



dium on fused produced a violent deflagration. In two experiments in 

 which I used a grain of the metal, the tube broke with the 

 violence of the explosion. I succeeded in obtaining the 

 solid results of the deflagration of 4- a grain of sodium; but 

 it appeared, that no peroxide had formed, for the mass gave 

 no oxigen by the action of water. 

 Potassium When potassium is burnt in a retort of pure glass, the 



tort of pure result is partly potash and partly peroxide, and by a long 

 glass, continued red heat the peroxide is entirely decomposed, 



and in one of A grain of potassium was gently heated in a small green 

 containing ox- 8^^^^ retort containing oxigen; it burnt slowly, and with u. 

 igen. feeble flame; a quantity of oxigen was absorbed equal to 



0*9 of a cubical inch ; by heating the retort to dull redness, 

 oxigen was expelled equal to 0"38 of a cubical inch; the 

 mercury in the thermometer in this experiment stood at 63* 

 Fahrenheit, and that in tlw? barometer at 30*1 inches. 

 Electrical de- , In experiments on the electrical decomposition of potash 

 poush^and^ ^ ®"^ soda, when the Voltaic battery employed contains from 

 soda. 500 to 1000 series in full action; the metals burn at the 



moment of their production, and form the peroxides; and it 

 is probable, from the observations of Mr. Ritter, that these 

 bodies may be produced likewise in Voltaic operations on 

 potash, at the positive surface. 

 Supposed prot. In ray early experiments on potassium and sodium, I re- 

 oxides, garded the fusible substances appearing at the negative sur- 

 face, in the Voltaic circuit, as well as those produced by the 

 exposure of the metals to heat and air, as protoxides, and as 

 similar to the results obtained by heating the metals in con- 

 tact with small quantities of alkali. 



. I have repeated these last operations, in which I con» 

 ceived that protoxides were formed. 



. Potassium and sodium, when heated in glass tubes in 

 contact with about half of their weight of potash and soda, 

 that have been ignited, become first of a bright azure, then 

 produce a considerable quantity of hidrogen, and at last 

 form a gray coherent mass, not fusible at a dull red heat, 

 and which gives hidrogen by the action of water. 



Whether these are true protoxides, or merely mixtures of 

 the alkaline metals with tiie alkalis, or with the alkalis and 



reduced 



