Experimenls to decompofe the Muriatic Acid. ti* 



Experiments 8 and 9. The fame phsenomenon took place, when an infufion of litmus 

 was brought into conta£l with a mixture of common air and muriatic acid, and of 

 oxygenous gas and muriatic acid, after electrization in this inftrument ; oxygenated 

 muriatic acid being produced In both cafes. 



The above fa£ls prove, that the combination of oxygen with muriatic acid, in thefc 

 experiments, is not occafioned by a pre-difpofing affinity in the mercury to combine with 

 oxygenated muriatic acid ; but that the eleftric fluid ferves a£Vualiy as an intermedium, 

 in combining the muriatic acid with oxygen. 



From the relation of thefe experiments it appears, that not the fmalleft progrefs had 

 been made by them, towards the decompofition of the muriatic acid. I refolved, there 

 fore, to attempt its analyfis, in a fimilar manner, with the aid of combuftible gafcs. 



SECTION II. 



EffeEls of eleElrifying the Muriatic Acid Gas luHh itiftammable Subjfances. 



In a memoir read before the Royal Society, and inferted in their Tranfadlions for 1797, 

 I have (hewn, that when eledrical fhocks are pafled repeatedly through a confined portion 

 of carbonated hydrogenous gas, the water held in folution by the gas, is decompofed by 

 the carbon, which forms a conftituent part of it j that carbonic acid is formed ; and an 

 addition made, of hydrogenous gas. Hence, the bulk of the carbonated hydrogen gas is con- 

 fiderably enlarged by this procefs ; which (hews, by its refults, that the a(finity of carbon 

 for oxygen, is rendered much more powerful and efficient by the elc£tric fluid. I have 

 fince found, that other oxygenated fubftances arc decompofed, by eleftrifying them with 

 carbonated hydrogen gas. Nitrous gas, for example, is fpeedily deftroycd by this procefs, 

 and carbonic acid and azotic gafes are obtained. 



Every attempt to decompofe the muriatic acid, muft be founded on the prefumption that 

 it is an oxygenated fubftance ; and thofe bodies promife to be the moft fuccefsful agents, 

 that polTefs a ftrong affinity for oxygen. Now, of all known bodies, charcoal moft 

 ftrongly attrafts oxygen j and I have, therefore, repeatedly attempted the de(lru6tion of 

 this acid, by paffing it over red-hot charcoal. But, in a feries of experiments, which I 

 made fome time fmce, with this view, in conjunction, with Mr. Rupp, we foon found 

 reafon to be diflatisfied with the difficulty and uncertainty of this procefs. An immenfc 

 production of hydrogenous gas took place; but it was not eaiy to determine whether it 

 had its origin from real acid, or from water. Our experiments, however, though in- 

 fufficient to furnifh decifive proof, Induced us to believe that it had the latter origin. 



It next occurred to me, that the comparative affinities of the muriatic radical, whatever 

 It may be, and of eharcoal, for oxygen, would be elegantly and fatisfaClorily afcertained, 

 by electrifying together the carbonated hydrogen and muriatic gafes. If the muriatic acid 

 be capable of decompofition by carbon. It might be expeCled to be deftroyed by this 

 procefs ; and the exaCt quantity of acid decompofed, and the nature and quantity of the 



products, 



