AMALGAM PRODUCED FROM AMMOfflA. (Jl 



metallic in its own nature*; and on this idea to assist the 

 discussion concerning it, it may be conveniently termed 

 ammonium. 



- But on what do the metallic properties of ammonium de- 

 pend? 



Are hidrogen and nitrogen both metala in the aeriform Are hidrogen 

 state, at the usual temperatures of the atmosphere, bodies meta i s j 

 of the same character as zinc and quicksilver would be in 

 the heat of ignition ? 



Or are these gasses, in their common form, oxides, which or ° xuJ es? 



become metallized by deoxidation? 



Or are they simple bodies, not metallic in their own na- ? r s . ,mpe 

 J r » ... bodies com- 



ture, but capable of composing a metal in their deoxi gen** posing a metal! 



ated, and an alkali in their oxigenated state? 



These problems, the second of which was stated by Mr. 

 Cavendish to me, and the last of which belongs to Mr. Ber- 

 zelius, offer most important objects of investigation. 



I have made some experiments in relation to them, but SjJJlJjjJ- 

 as yet unsuccessfully. I have heated the amalgam of potas* treated with 

 »ium in contact with both hidrogen and nitrogen, but with- 1122™ n " 

 out attaining their metallization ; but this fact cannot be 

 considered as decisively for or against any one of these con- 

 jectures. 



I mentioned in the Bakerian Lecture for 1807, that a modi-* Modification 

 fication of a phlogistic chemical theory might be defended ° istic ^eory. 

 on the idea, that the metals and inflammable solids usually 

 called simple, were compounds of the same matter as that 

 existing in hidrogen, with peculiar unknown bases; and that 

 the oxides, alkalis, and acids were compounds of the same 

 ba9es with water : and that the phaenomena presented by the 



• The nature of the compounds of sulphur and phosphorus with mer- 

 cury favours this opinion ; these inflammable bodies by combination im- 

 pair its metallic properties : cinnabar is a nonconductor, and it would 

 seem from Pelletier's experiments, Ann. de Chimie, vol. xiti, p. 125, that 

 the phosphuret of mercury is not metallic in its characters j charcoal is 

 ft conductor, and in plumbago carbon approaches very near to a metal in 

 its characters, so that the metallic mture of st»el does not militate 

 ggainst the reasoning in the text Th« only facts w v ) ch 1 urn acquainted 

 frith, that do militate against it, are th:; metallic characters of some of 

 tke sulpuutets and phosphurets of the imp«rf«ct metals. 



\ \ metals 



