4j^ Experimenti to decompofc ike Muriatic Acid. 



of the water of the two gafes, by the carbon of the combuftible gas ; and, when this was 

 completely accomplifhed,' no further effe£t enfued from continuing the eleftrization. The 

 generation of carbonic acid was proved, by the following experiment. 



Exper. 14. To a mixture of carbonated hydrogen and muriatic gafes, after having 

 received above loo fliocks, a drop of water was admitted, which abforbed the muriatic 

 acid. The liquid was then taken up by blotting-paper; and the refiduary gas, being 

 transferred into another tube, was brought into contaft with a folution of pure barytic 

 earth. The precipitation of this folution, evinced the prefence of carbonic acid. 



it was dcfirable, however, that the cffefts ftiould be afcertained, of ele£lrifying together 

 pure muriatic acid and pure carbonated hydrogenous gas, both perfeftly free from water. 

 Now, from the experiments related in the firft fe£lion, it appears highly probable, that 

 a complete purification from moifture is produced, in both gafes, by the aftion of 

 the ele£lric fluid ; all the water they before contained being thus decompofed. In the 

 following experiments, therefore, the two gafes were feparately ek£trified, before they 

 ^ere fubmitted to this procefs conjointly. 



Exper. 15. To a portion of muriatic acid, diminifhed by the aftion of cle£lricity from 

 144 to 121 meafures, 27 meafures of carbonated hydrogenous gas, expanded as far a$ 

 poffible, were added, and 200 fliocks pafled through the mixture; The addition of per- 

 manent gas amounted to 14 meafures; 10 of which may be traced to the muriatic acid, 

 and were evolved by its feparate eleftrization. The remaining 4; meafures, which remain 

 to be accounted for, arc too fmall a quantity to be afcribed to the decompofition of 

 the acid. 



Exper. \6. To a quantity of carbonated hydrogenous gas, which had received 400 

 Chocks, and occupied the fpace of 212 meafures, I added 232 of muriatic acid, through 

 which 200 fliocks had previoufly been pafled. The eleftrization of the mixture was next 

 continued, till 800 difcharges had taken place. On examining the mixture of gafes, 

 during this operation, no change whatever took place ; and, after its clofe, no more 

 muriatic acid had difappeared, than would have been deficient after the firft ele£trization 5 

 nor was there any further produdtion of permanent gas. 



Exper. 17. The fame refult was obtained, by cleftrifying together 280 meafures. of 

 carbonated hydrogenous gas, previoufly expanded by 600 fliocks, and 114 of muriatic 

 acid, after 400 fliocks. The additional difcharge, through this mixture, of lOOO fliocks, 

 did not evince the fmalleft: progrefs towards the decompofition of the muriatic acid. 



Exper. 18. In the naturally morfl: ft:ate of thefe gafes, it follows, from the 14th ex- 

 ijcriment, that carbonic acid is produced by ele£trifying them in conjunftion. It appeared 

 to me of fome importance to afcertain whether, after a previous decompofition of their 

 moifture, carbonic acid would continue to be generated. But the ele£lrified carbonated 

 hydrogenous gas itfelf contains carbonic acid, which, unlefs removed, would render the" 

 refult of the experiment undecifive. This was accompliflied by pafling up, to a portion of 

 dedrified gas, a bubble or two of dry ammoniacal gas, which, uniting with the carbonic 

 ^ - acid. 



