Additional Obfervations on HydroearlonaUj, 305 



Being anxious to fee the effeft of this gas on the gafeous oxide itfelf, I mixed twd 

 meafures of this oxigenated gas with two of the gafeous oxides well wafhed, and introduced 

 them as ufual into a bottle inverted over water. After ftanding for twenty-four hours, the 

 Hopper was withdrawn, and the water inftantly rofe fo high, that the remaining gas 

 occupied the fpace of only 1.8 meafures, or a diminution of 2.2 had taken place. This, 

 when agitated with lime water, was further reduced to -^^ of a meafure, and the refiduary 

 gas was ftiil flightly inflammable. 



This experiment was repeated with only this variation, that the bottle was completely 

 filled, and had its neck plunged under mercury : the proportions of the gafes were two 

 meafures gafeous oxide, to 2y meafures oxidated muriatic acid gas. After remaining for 

 twenty-four hours, the (topper was withdrawn under water, when the fluid inftantly rofe 

 and occupied two- thirds of the bottle. This refiduum being agitated with lime water, the 

 whole was abforbed, except one-fixth of a meafure, which was found to be azote. Hence 

 we perceive that any quantity of gafeous oxide may be converted into carbonic acid by 

 mixing it with the oxigenated muriatic acid gas, juft as the oxide of azote or nitrous gas are 

 converted into nitrous acid by the fame means. 



There is another gafeous fubftatice, or rather vapour, which is powerfully afted upon by 

 this fu per- oxigenated gas, viz. the vapour of sether i if we fill a bottle of the capacity of 

 three or four pints with the pure oxigenated muriatic acid gas, taking care to eX'pel the 

 water as completely as poflible, and then throw into it about a drachm or half a drachm of 

 good aether, covering its mouth immediately with a piece of light wood or paper; in a 

 few feconds white vapour will be perceived moving circularly in the bottle ; this will be foon 

 followed by an explofion, accompanied with flame; at the fame time a very confiderable 

 quantity of carbon will be depofued, and the bottle will be found to contain carbonic acid 

 gas.* 



If we employ alcohol inftead of sether, a fimilar effeft will be fometimes produced, but 

 more time is neceffary, and along with the charcoal and carbonic acid there is likewife a 

 little aether formed. 



We fliall next confider the efi^e£ls produced on thefe inflammable gafes, by mixing them 

 with the oxigenated muriatic gas, and fetting fire to the mixture by the cleflric fpark. In 



• Dr. Prieftley was the firft who difcovered that sether, agitated with any fpecies of gas, greatly increafed its 

 volume, and in moft cafes doubled it. He likewife found that although this vapour was not condenfiblt by 

 the ordinary degrees of cold,- yet water readily abforbed it. Having agitated fome oxigen gas with a little 

 aether, I found that its bulk was exaftly doubled. In thisftate the gas does not explode^ but if one part of 

 this mixture be added to three parts of oxigen, an ignited body, or the eleftric fpark, then produces a dread- - 

 ful explofion, the produfts of -which I have found to be water, with 'i^ parts of carbonic acid gas. Hence jt 

 would appear that one part of this vapour requires about feven of oxigen to faturate it, or more correflly 6.S 

 the products being water,, with 4.6 parts carbonic acid: According to this experiment the proportion of 

 carbon to hidrogen in the vapour of sether, or aether itfelf, flioiild be as 5 to 1 nealiy ; and in alcohol, froia 

 firailar trials, it appeared to be as 8 or 9 to 1 , 



many 



