Bf* On the Compcjition of Aiott and 



Then x — 0.79, and^ = 0.21 nearly. 

 S = 0.79 O + 0.21 H, or 100 S = 79 O + 21 H. 

 " That IS to fay, 100 grains of azote gas are compofed of 79 grains of oxygen and 2i 

 ■*' grains of hydrogen." 



Having applied this ingenious calculation of Mr. Mayer to other oxydes of hydrogen, I 

 found, as follows : 



Let N denote the nitric acid ; we know by experiments that 



' 100 N = 79.5 O + 20.5 S. 

 Inftead of S>, let us put its value, as found by the preceding calculation, and wie 

 ihalii hare 



100 N = 79.5 O + 20.5 (0.79 O + 0.21 H) = 95.7 O + 4.3 H nearly. 

 Thus 100 grains of nitric acid contain nearly 96 grains of oxygen, and 4 grains of 

 hydrogen. 



The following are the refults of the fame calculation: 



100 parts of amnaoniac = 63.72 oxyg. + 36.28 hydrog. 

 100 parts of azote = 79.00 oxyg. + 21.00 hydrog. 

 100 parts of atmofph. air 84.67, oxyg. + 15-33 hydrog. 

 too parts of water = 85.66 oxyg. -f- 14.34 hydrog. 

 100 parts gafeousoxyde of azote = 86.77 oxyg. + 13.23 hydrog. 

 loo parts of nitrous gas = 93.28 oxyg. + 6.72 hydrog. 

 100 parts of nitrous acid = y4-33 oxyg. + 5.67 hydrog. 

 100 parts of nitric acid = 95-70 oxyg. + .1^.30 hydrog. 

 Are then oxygen and hydrogen the two elements of which all the bodies in nature are 

 formed. It appears to me very probable. It appears alfo probable that the heavier a body 

 is the more oxygen concentrated and deprived of caloric it contains, and that, on the 

 contrary, the more hydrogen a body contains, the lighter it muft be. But thefe are only 

 hypothefes which future experiments will either confirm or replete. 



It feldoms happens that the two conftituent principles of azote enter, as Cmple bodies, 

 into other combinations ; they much oftener form one fingle ingredient by their union in 

 different proportions. Coal, or the oxyde of diamond, is found in many bodies, and the 

 diamond itfelf in none with which we are acquainted. We obtain coal in our chemical 

 decompofitions, and never the diamond. We do not even know fuch a thing as diamantic 

 or adamantic acid, although caibonic acid is familiar to us. No chemift would think of 

 affirming that we exhale diamond in the aft of refpiration, but that we exhale a quan- 

 tity of coal. The diamond itfelf is not, perhaps, a fimple body ; it jirobably contains 

 oxygen ; fince all tranfparent bodies, if I miftake not, contain more or lefs of it. Azote, 

 like coal, is fufceptible of various combinations merely as azote ; as a compounded prin- 

 ciple, which gives to bodies properties very different from what is given to them by the 

 combination of the two fimple principles of which azote is compofed. Azote, as a con- 

 ftituent principle of bodies, is not hydrogen and oxygen, but azote : exadUy as foap is 

 not oil and aklali, but foap. We muft never lofe fight of this. 



I have 



