62 On the Properties of Peroxide of Hi/drogen, [Jan. 



The action is very strong, even when the peroxide of hydro- 

 gen is diluted in water. In fact, oxide of silver occasions very 

 evident and sudden effervescence in water which contains only 

 a fiftieth of its volume of oxygen ; so that, when a tube is filled 

 with mercury, and inverted, and water containing 12 times its 

 volume of oxygen is passed up into it, oxide of silver afterwards 

 thrown up sinks the mercury so suddenly that the eye follows it 

 with difficulty. In this case, there is no sensible production of 

 heat, and yet the oxide of silver is reduced. This oxide is 

 reduced even in the most diluted peroxide of hydrogen, so that 

 it must not be conceived that the expulsion of the oxygen from 

 tlie metal is not the effect of temperature ; it may happen that at 

 the moment of the action of the oxide of silver upon the peroxide 

 of hjdrogen, the particles which act upon each other are much 

 lieattd, and that their number being very small compared with 

 the liquor, they are incapable of raising its temperature half a 

 d^ree. 



Peroxide of lead in poiader. The action of this oxide upon 

 the peroxide of hydrogen is nearly as strong as that of the oxide 

 of silver, and the results are similar, excepting that the peroxide 

 of lead is not reduced, but becomes merely yellow protoxide in 

 the concentrated liquor. 1 doubt whether it undergoes similar 

 deoxidizement in the diluted liquor. 



Minium and peroxide of hydrogen. The same phenomena as 

 with the peroxide, excepting that the action, which is less rapid, 

 takes place without the evolution of light, and with less extrica- 

 tion of heat. 



Hydrated peroxide of mercury , and peroxide of hydrogen. 

 The hydrate of mercury previously moistened with water was put 

 upon blotting paper, and the trial was then made in the usual 

 way. In a moment, the yellow colour of the oxide became red, 

 effervescence occurred, and soon became violent ; there was 

 then great extrication of heat, the mercurial oxide was reduced, 

 and the hquor completely deoxidized. 



Hydrate of peroxide of mercury y and liquor containing only 

 nine volumes of oxygen. Very moderate effervescence; no sen- 

 sible heat ; the oxide reduced in 24 hours ; complete deoxidize- 

 ment of the hquor also, provided the peroxide of mercury is in 

 excessv » 



Peroxide of mercunf hy heat in fine powder. This oxide in 

 powder was of a greenish ochre yellow colour; when put into 

 the concentrated peroxide of hydrogen, it became red, like the 

 hydfcmte, and acted like it, but less quickly ; the action always 

 nished violently, the disengagement of heat being very great, 

 «iid the oxide reduced. Its action upon the diluted liquor is 

 weak. 



Brown oxide of gold in powder, and highly concentrated per- 

 oxide. Action sudden; violent; great extrication of heat; 

 reduction of the gold ; complete deoxidizement of the hquor. 



