Mr. Kemp on the Effects of Electricity on the Liquified Gases. 27 



through to be continued to nearly the other end of the tube. E is 

 another platina wire sealed into the smaller end of the tube, and 

 continued inwards so as to leave a small distance between it and 

 the other wire. 



. Some of the tubes had a small tubular opening F, for introdu- 

 cing the substances to form the gases. 



. Sulphurous Acid Gas. — Pure mercury and concentrated sulphu- 

 ric acid were poured into the larger end of the tube, through the 

 extremity E, by means of a small funnel, to keep the smaller end 

 of the tube perfectly clean ; a portion of gas was then generated, so 

 as to fill the tube, and the wire E sealed into it, at a very short 

 distance from the extremity of the other wire CD. The gas was 

 again generated by applying heat to the thick end of the tube, 

 while the other end was kept cool. In this manner the sulphurous 

 acid gas was allowed to pass over and be condensed, until it filled 

 a portion of the smaller end of the tube, and rose high enough to 

 have both the extremities of the platina wires immersed in it. 

 The liquid acid, which was now in contact with the platina wires, 

 had not the slightest action on them. 



The liquid sulphurous acid gas being made to form part of the 

 galvanic circle of a battery of 250 pairs of plates, the shock receiv- 

 ed through it was just as powerful as if a continuous metallic com- 

 munication had existed. When the wires were placed into water, 

 decomposition proceeded as rapidly as when a continuous metallic 

 wire was used. Sparks were also taken from the ends of the 

 wires, and the effect upon the galvanometer was greater in this 

 instance than that produced when the electricity is passed through 

 any other liquid. Liquid sulphurous acid gas may therefore be 

 considered to be an excellent conductor of electricity. 



During the passage of the electricity through the tube, a violent 

 action took place in the liquified gas, accompanied with the evolu- 

 tion of a gaseous substance at the positive wire ; no change was 

 observed at the negative one. After the action had continued near- 

 ly five hours, and the liquid had diminished about a third, a small 

 quantity of sulphur began to deposit itself on the negative wire. 

 The conducting power of the liquid appeared to be considerably 

 -less than at the commencement of the experiment. 



When the liquid sulphurous acid gas is first subjected to the 

 action of electricity, it appears to lose its oxygen, and is converted 

 into hypo-sulphurous acid, which is retained in a liquid state by 

 the consequent pressure. Whether the oxygen evolved exists free 

 in the tube, or again enters into combination with the materials in 

 the other end, is what I could not ascertain. I am rather inclined 

 to suppose that it does not exist in the gaseous state, as, if this 

 had been the case, the pressure, when the tube was broken, ought 

 to have been much greater than it was. On the tube being 

 broken, the liquified gas disappeared in the same manner as sul- 



