GTi various Objects, 407 



tlistillecl, did not give off* -g-^ of the ammonia that had dis- 

 appeared ; and this small quantity I am inclined to attri- 

 bute to the presence c^f moiaiure. The permanent gas pro- . 

 duced, equalled twelve cubical inches, and, by detonatiou 

 with oxygen, proved to consist of nearly two of hydrogen 

 to one of nitrogen. Sodium was regenerated, but an ac- 

 cident prevented me from ascertaining the quantity. 



Whoever will consider with attention, the mere visible 

 phaenomena of the action of sodium on ammonia, cannot, 

 I conceive, fail to be convinced that it is the volatile alkali, 

 and not the metal, which is decompounded in this process. 



As yodium does not act so violently upon oxygen, as 

 potassium ; and as soda docs not absorb water from the 

 atmosphere, with nearly so much rapidity as potash, so- 

 dium can be introduced into annnonia, much freer froni 

 moisture, than potassium. Hence, when it is heated in 

 ammonia, there is no elFervesccnce, or at least one scarcely 

 perceptible. Its tint changes to bright azure, and from 

 bright azure to olive green, it becomes quietly and silently 

 converted into the fusible aubstance, which forms upon 

 the surface, and then flows ofif into the tray. It emits no 

 elastic fluid, and gains its new form, evidently, by combin- 

 ing with one part of the elementary maltejr of ammoni.i, 

 whilst another part is suffered to escape in the form of 

 hydrogen. 



It will not be necessary for me to f nter, into a very mi- 

 nute experimental examination oFihe opinion of M. Curau- 

 dau, that the metals of the alkalies are composed of the 

 alkalies merely united to charcoal ; the investigation upon 

 which he has fojand.ed his conclusions, is neither so refined, 

 nor so difficult, as that which has been ju'st examined. 

 This gentleman has been misled by the existence of char- 

 coal, as an accidental constituent in the metals he employed, 

 in a manner much more obvious, than that in which 

 MM. Gay Lussac and Thenard have been misled by the 

 moisture which interfered with their resuUs." 



M.Curaudau states, that when sodium is oxidated, carbo- 

 nic acid is formed. This I have never found to be the case, 

 except when the sodium was covered by a film oF naphtha. 

 I burnt two grains of sodium in eight cubical inches of 

 oxvgen : nearly two cubical inches of oxygen were absorbed, 

 and soda in a state of extreme dryness, so that it could not 

 be liquefied by. a heat below redness, formed. This soda 

 did not give out an atom of carbonic acid, during its so- 

 lution in muriatic acid. Three grains of sodium were 

 made to act upon water; they decomposed it with th^ 



C c 4 phsenomenji 



