jSdditional Remarks on Galvanic EteBricity. 857 



From the experiments related in this and the former paper, we may draw the following 

 conclufions : 



1. That hydrogen gas mixed with a very fmall proportion of oxygen and ammonia, is 

 fomchow difengaged at the wire connefted with the filver extremity of the machine ; and 

 that thisefFeft is equally produced, whatever the nature of the metallic wire maybe, pro- 

 vided the fluid operated upon be pure water. 



2. That where metallic folutions are employed Inftcad of water, the fame wire which 

 feparates the hydrogen revives the metallic calx, and depofits it at the extremity of the 

 wire in its pure metallic ftate ; in this cafe no hydrogen gas is difengaged. The wire em-' 

 ployed for this purpofe may be of any metal. 



3. That of the earthy folutions, thofe of magnefia and argiil only are decompofed by the 

 Clver wire, a circumftance which ftrongly favours the produftion of ammonia. 



4. That when the wire connefted with the zinc extremity of the pile confifts either of 

 gold or platina, a quantity of oxygen gas, mixed with a little azote and nitrous acid is dif- 

 engaged, and the quantity of gas thus obtained is a little better than y of the hydrogen 

 gas feparated by the filver wire at the fame time. 



5. That when the wire connefted with the zinc is filver, or any of the imperfe£l; metals, 

 a fmall portion of oxygenous gas Is likewife given out, but the wire itfelf is either oxydated 

 or diflblved, or partly oxydated and partly diflblved ; Indeed, the efFe£l in this cafe pro- 

 duced upon the metal, is very fimilar to that of the concentrated nitrous acid, where a 

 great deal of the metal is oxydated, and but a fmall quantity held in folution *. 



6. That when the gafes obtained by gold or platina wires, are colle£ted together and 

 exploded over mercury, the whole nearly difappears and forms water, with probably a little 

 nitrous acid, for there was always a thick white vapour perceived for fome time after the 

 cxplofion. The refiduary gas in this cafe appeared to be azote. 



In reflefling on thefe experiments it would appear, that in fome of them, the water 

 mull be decompofed ; but how this can be efFe£ted, is by no means fo eafily explained. 

 For example, it feems extremely myfterious how the oxygen fhould pafs filently from the 

 extremity of the Giver wire to that of the zinc wire, and there make its appearance in the 

 form of gas. It is to be obferved likewife, that this effeft takes place which ever way the 

 wires are placed, and whatever bends may be interpofed between their extremities, pro- 

 vided the diftance be not too great. On confiderlng thefe fa£ts more minutely, It appeared 

 to me, that the eafieft and fimpleft mode of explanation, would be, to fuppofe that the 

 galvanic Influence (whatever it may be) is capable of exifting in two ftates, that is, in an 

 oxygenated and deoxygcnated ftate. That when It pafl'es from metals to fluids containing 



• The gi-eat difference in the efFeft produced by this influence on gold and filver, which have always 

 been confidered as equally difficult to oxidate, can only be explained on the fuppofition, that nitrous acid 

 is generated ; for this acid, it is well known, afts powerfully on filver, but has no aSion whatev«r on gold. 

 The fame obfervation applies to platinai 



Vol. IV,— September 1800. LI oxygen, 



