Carhomc Acid and Ammmiia. S53 



lute exactness, owing to the circumstance, that, when an excess of 

 the sesquicarbonate is added, either a decomposition takes 

 place in the saturated solution, or the salt added is decomposed, 

 for a portion of neutral salt separates in the solid state, and the 

 solution l^ecomes more highly alkaline ; and the same separation 

 of neutral salt takes place on the reduction of temperature of a 

 saturated solution of the sesquicarbonate, with a proportional 

 increase of its alkalescence. Whether, in these instances, am- 

 monia is evolved uncombined, or a carbonate of the same 

 composition, as that formed by the direct combination of its ele- 

 ment, I have not been able to ascertain. 



The sesquicarbonate is said to be soluble in alcohol. I have 

 not found it so. Thus, when 12.9 grs. of it, in fine powder, were 

 added to 100 grs. of alcohol, of specific gravity .829, there was 

 a slight reduction of temperature ; after standing 24 hours, the 

 bulk of salt was not apparently diminished ; collected on a filter, 

 and rapidly dried between the folds of bibulous paper, it weigh- 

 ed 11.8 grs. The alcohol had acquired a strong ammoniacal 

 odour ; mixed with dilute muriatic acid, only a very few mi- 

 nute air-bubbles were disengaged, no more than might be attri- 

 buted to the separation of the little atmospheric air dissolved, 

 which the diluted acid, and, I believe, the alcohol contain. 

 The salt remaining on the filter was perfectly inodorous, and, in 

 fact, was reduced to the neutral state. In this instance, it may 

 be inferred that the sesquicarbonate was resolved into ammonia 

 and the bicarbonate. The statical results are not inconsistent 

 with this idea * ; and the alcohol not effervescing, excepting in 

 the slightest degree with an acid, confirms it. It is also con- 

 firmed by digesting alcohol, or a large quantity of the salt, so 

 as to become strongly impregnated with ammonia. A solution 

 of this kind, of specific gravity .834, did not, with an acid, give 

 stronger indications of the presence of carbonic acid. When 

 weaker alcohol is used, the result is somewhat different; judg- 

 ing from the degree of effervescence of the alcoholic solution, this 

 formation of the neutral carbonate is accompanied by the pro- 



• No very rigorous calculation can be made on the result of an experiment, 

 in which a very slight loss (hardly to be avoided) in filtration and drying 

 would lead to considerable error. 



VOL. XVI. NO. XXXII. AFBIL 1834. S 



