326 EXPERIMENTS 03* THE METALS FROM THE FIXED ALKALIS. 



half of potassium were heated in 12 cubical inches of am- 

 monia, 7*5 were absorbed, and 3*2 of hidrogen evolved. 

 The fusible substance was not exposed to the atmosphere, 

 but was covered with dry mercury, and immediately in. 

 troduced into the tube ; which, with its adaptors, was ex- 

 hausted, and filled with hidrogen. They contained to- 

 gether T 8 ^ of a cubical inch. The heat was very slowly ap- 

 plied, by means of a fire of charcoal, till the tube was ig- 

 nited to whiteness. Nine cubical inches of gas were given 

 off, and i of a cubical inch remained in the retort and 

 adaptors. Of the 9 cubical inches, y of a cubical inch was 

 ammonia, 10 measures of the permanent gas, mixed with 

 7*5 of oxigen, and acted upon by the electrical spark, left 

 a, residuum of 7'5. The quantity of potassium formed was 

 such as to generate, by its action upon water, 3 cubical 

 inches and T ^ of hidrogen gas. 

 Results. Now if this experiment be calculated upon, it will be 



found that 7*5--*2=: to 7*3 of ammonia, by its electrical 

 decomposition, would afford about 13*1 of permanent gas, 

 containing 3*4 of nitrogen, and 9*7 of hidrogen. But the 

 3*2 cubical inches of hidrogen, evolved in the first part of 

 the process, added to the 5*8 evolved in the second part of 

 the process = 9; and the nitrogen in the 8*8 cubical inches 

 of gas, (or the 9 — *2 of ammonia,) will be about 3; and 

 if we estimate *34 of hidrogen, and *16 of nitrogen, in 

 the 5 remaining in the retort ; there will be very little dif- 

 ference in the results of the analysis of ammonia by elec- 

 tricity, and by the action of potassium ; and calculating 

 upon the -j^ of hidrogen preexisting in the tube and 

 adaptors, the loss of hidrogen will be found proportionably 

 rather greater than that of nitrogen. 

 Another experi- I* 1 another experiment, in which 3 grains of potassium 

 menu were employed in the same manner, 6*78 cubical inches of 



ammonia were found to be absorbed, and 2*48 of hydrogen 

 only generated. The distillation was performed, the 

 adaptors and tube being full of common air: 8 cubical 

 inches of gas were produced ; and there must have remain- 

 ed in the "tubes and adaptors the same quantity of residual 

 air 3 as in the process last described. 



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