OK THE ALKALIKE METALLOIDS. 



and the investigation least liable to errour — to determine if 



ash and potash there 18 the same quantity of real alkali in the potash 

 from potassU _ iii -p ^ii 



um. tormed by the oxigenation or potassium, and in the potash 



prepared by the usual process, and which has been kept ia 

 fusion, by comparing their powers in neutralizing an acid. 

 The difference I dissolved 10 grains of pure potash prepared by the usual 

 ▼ery trivial. process, which had been kept in fusion in a low red heat, in 

 half an ounce of water, and neutralized this by the addition 

 of nitric acid previously diluted with 20 parts of water: 

 165 grains of this diluted acid were required for neutraliza- 

 tion. The dry product of the combustion of potassium was 

 then dissolved in water, there remained undissolved a mi- 

 nute portion of matter— On removinj; this and weighing it, 

 the remaining solution required for neutralization of the 

 above diluted acid a quantity which was equivalent, t a 

 mean of several experiments, to 169*5 grains to 10 grains 

 of the product, supposing it to have been free from any 

 any intermixture of insoluble matter. Here then the same 

 quantity of acid was required for neutralization as nearly 

 as can be expected, for the difference of 4*5 grains of 

 an acid so much diluted on so large a quantity as 169 

 grains is far from being equal to the difference, which ought 

 to have been found, were the product of the combination 

 of potassium the real alkali, free from water ; and is indeed 

 so trivial, that it may nearly be neglected. 



That this would be the case might nearly be inferred a 

 priori; for in decomposing potash by galvanism, there is no 

 appearance of the water which it contains being dissipated. 

 Either that water therefore in its entire state, or its base, 

 must exist in the product; its oxigen, according to the lat- 

 ter supposition, being given out; and of course when that 

 product is again converted by oxigenation into [)otash, the 

 water must be found in this potash . 



An interesting experiment in confirraation of the above 

 results would be to submit the dry product of the oxigena- 

 tion of potassium to the experiment made by BerthoUet on 

 common potash— heating it with iron tilings to ascertain if 

 it affords hidrogen. This I intend to do, when 1 have pro- 

 cured a sufficient quantity of potassium to admit of the 

 experiTuent being made with accuracy. 

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