416 Dr. Faraday on the Dlamagneiic conditions 



stream at first revolved in a regular ring round the axial line, 

 and produced a cloud that continued to spin round it as long as 

 the magnetic force was continued, but fell down to the bottom 

 of the chamber when that force was removed. 



Nitrous oxide. — This gas was clearly diamagnetic in the 

 hydrogen, and gave rise to a very beautiful result in conse- 

 quence of its following the oxygen ; for at the beginning of 

 the experiment, the little oxygen contained in the conducting 

 tube passed axially; but the instant that was expelled, and the 

 nitrous oxide issued forth, the stream changed its direction, 

 and passed off diamagnetically in the most striking manner. 



Nitric oxide. — This gas passed equally in hydrogen, and 

 therefore is magnetic in relation to it. 



Ammonia. — Diamagnetic in hydrogen. 



Carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, and olejiant gases were dia- 

 magnetic in hydrogen ; the last most so, and the carbonic acid 

 apparently the least. 



Chlorine was slightly diamagnetic in hydrogen. It was 

 clearly so; but the cloudy particles might conduce much to 

 the small effect produced. 



Muriatic acid gas. — I think it was a little diamagnetic in 

 the hydrogen. 



Notwithstanding the many disturbing causes which interfere 

 with first and hasty experiments of this kind, and produce 

 results which occasionally cross and contradict each other, still 

 there are some very striking considerations which arise in 

 comparing the gases with each other at the same temperature. 

 Foremost amongst these is the place of oxygen ; for of all the 

 gaseous bodies yet tried it is the least diamagnetic, and seems 

 in this respect to stand far apart from the rest of them. The 

 condition of nitrogen, as being highly diamagnetic, is also im- 

 portant. The place of hydrogen, as being less diamagnetic than 

 nitrogen, and of chlorine, which, instead of approaching to 

 oxygen, is above hydrogen, and also of iodine, which is pro- 

 bably far above chlorine, are marked circumstances. 



Air of course owes its place to the proportion and the indi- 

 vidual diamagnetic character of the oxygen and nitrogen in it. 

 The great difference existing between these two bodies in re- 

 spect of magnetic relation, and the striking effect presented by 

 oxygen in coal-gas and hydrogen, bodies not far removed from 

 nitrogen in diamagnetic force, made me think it might not be 

 impossible to separate air into its two chief constituents by 

 magnetic force alone. I made an experiment for this purpose 

 but did not succeed ; but I am not convinced that it cannot 

 be done. For since we can actually distinguish certain gases, 

 and especially these by their magnetic properties, it does not 



