ON THE ABSORPTION OF GASSE8 BY WATER, JjSlS 



-considerable quantity. Hence it would seem, that in the 

 first case the air was but feebly combined, and in some sort 

 interposed between the particles of water: but the continued but its elastid- 

 action of the liquid, diminishing,' the elasticity of the gas the'u.i'ion i"^' 

 more and more, and contractinij; its dimensions su^ it were by inoie iutimate, 

 degrees, occasioned it to enter farther within the sphere of 

 attraction of its particles, which rendered the water capable 

 of absorbing- a fresh quantity of gas. 



2. The same thing takes place with regard to hidrogen Hidro^en gas 

 gas, and Mr. de Marty afforded me the pleasure of tritness- saiua way" but 

 ing this likewise. The absorption was equally great. He water absorbs 

 finds by his experiments, that this gas is absorbed in larger j^^g ^[^^^ 

 <juantity and with greater promptitude than ox i gen gas. He 



finds also, that the bulk of the gas absorbed is not equal to 

 that of the water in two years. 



3. Water already loaded with oxigen is better adapted to Water loadea 

 absorb hidrogen, and the contrary. This is analogous to absorbrihe^^ 

 what von Humboldt and Gay-Lussac have observed, but the other more rea- 

 experiment of Mr. de Marty has the advantage, like the pre- ^ ^ ^* 

 ceding, of having been made in close vessels. 



4. The absorption is so niuch the more sensible as the wa- P'"0|)ortlonaIto 

 ter is more considerable, and is proportional to it. water. " '^^ 



.5. These effects do not take place with nitrogen gas. Af- Only a limited 

 ter the water has been once shaken for some time with this P"' ^ i-"" ^^ i*2otc 



•1, 1 1 1 , , absorbed. 



gas, it will not absorb an atom more, however long it be left 



in contact with it. 



6. If water loaded with nitrogen be placed in contact Water saturat- 

 with hidrogen or oxigen gas, it will absorb it, without part- stlinl^L^^up 

 ing with its hidrogen. If it have been supposed, that an hidrogen or 

 exchange takes place, it is because in fact a little nitros-en ^^'S*"" ? ^"^^" 



^ ' n OUT ceding Its 



escapes at the commencement of the absorption of the hi- pl'ice. 

 drogen or oxigen : but on shaking the water and the gasses 

 together, all the n'rtrogen, that was before interposed be- 

 tween the particles of the water, wiii enter into it again as 

 before, independent of the hidrogen or oxigen absorbed. 



7» The preceding result is so true, thdt an accurate ana- Thus atmo- 



Jysis of atmospheric air may tnus be made by the absorbent fpl^<^"<^airrnay 

 . ,. , „^ , . be analysed by 



action or water alone, 1 o ettect this it is sufficient, that water. 



the water be previously impregnated with nitrogen ; when it 

 will absorb exactly '21 hundredths of the volume of the at- 

 mospheric 



