52 Dr. M. Baumert on a new Oxide of Hydrogen 



rally regarded as identical with the substance formed during the 

 passage of electrical sparks through gases containing oxygen, it 

 was necessary to take the latter into consideration at the same time. 

 Nevertheless I abstain from giving any opinion in this memoir 

 upon the ozone produced by other processes than by electricity; 

 and the more so, as the great difficulties presented by investiga- 

 tions of this kind render it above all things desirable only to 

 introduce such facts as admit of a certain and unequivocal in- 

 terpretation. 



As ozone makes its appearance during the electrolysis of 

 water, independently of the substances added to render the fluid 

 capable of conducting the current, we may conclude that this 

 substance can contain nothing but hydrogen and oxygen. The 

 quantity of ozone formed certainly varies according to the sub- 

 stances dissolved in the water, but its formation is never sup- 

 pressed, whether sulphuric, phosphoric or chromic acids, or other 

 substances, especially such as acquire a higher degree of oxida- 

 tion with difficulty, are added to the water. 



That hydrogen as well as oxygen is contained in the ozone 

 obtained by electrolysis, may be proved in the most incontestable 

 manner by the following experiment. The inside of a long, nar- 

 row glass tube is lined with a thin coating of anhydrous phos- 

 phoric acid. This is best effected by allowing a stream of dry. 

 air to carry the newly-formed products of the combustion of phos- 

 phorus through the tube. If perfectly dry ozone be allowed to 

 pass through this tube, the phosphoric acid will remain un- 

 changed ; but if the middle of the tube be slightly heated so as 

 to decompose the ozone, the water formed dissolves the anhy- 

 drous phosphoric acid beyond the flame in the direction of the 

 stream of gas, whilst the phosphoric acid before the flame under- 

 goes no change. 



If thus the separation of water from this substance admits of 

 no doubt, on the other hand it may be asserted with equal cer- 

 tainty that these elements of water are united with oxygen, and 

 not with hydrogen, to form ozone ; for this substance possesses 

 such an oxidizing power, that even chloride of potassium is de- 

 composed by it, with the evolution of chlorine and the formation 

 of caustic potash. An excess of hydrogen, on the contrary, could 

 only be accompanied by reducing properties. 



This behaviour affords a means of ascertaining the composition 

 of ozone; for if a method of determining the oxygen which is com- 

 bined with the elements of water to form ozone be given, it would 

 only be necessary to weigh the ozone or its collected products of 

 decomposition, to render its composition certain. Such a means 

 is presented by a process which is essentially the same as that 

 employed by Prof. Bunsen in his investigation of iodide of ni- 



