CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PAPERS. 



61 



jected to the treatment used by Ramsey and Rayleigh in the isolation 

 of argon from atmospheric nitrogen. (Jour. London Chem. Soc, 

 1897, p. 181.) The residue was mixed with a large excess of pure 

 oxygen, confined over mercury, and a small quantity of a strong solu- 

 tion of potassium hydroxide was introduced into the tube over the 

 mercury. A spark from an induction coil was passed through the 

 mixture for about sixty hours, and the nitrogen peroxide formed was 

 absorbed in the potassium hydroxide solution. By means of the re- 

 sulting contraction in volume the progress of the union between 

 oxygen and nitrogen could be followed. The sparking was continued 

 for several hours after all contraction had apparently ceased, and the 

 residual gas was then passed into a freshly filled phosphorus pipette, 

 where it was allowed to remain in contact with the phosphorus for 

 several hours to insure the complete absorbtion of all excess oxygen. 

 The residue, which measured 5.7 cc, represented 12.09 per cent, of 

 the volume of original gas taken. It has not been further examined 

 because of lack of time, so nothing can now be said as to its compo- 

 sition. As soon as time permits, the examination will be continued. 

 The results of the analysis are as follows : 



Oxygen (O2) . 20 per cent. 



Carbon dioxide (CO2) 0.00 



Carbon monoxide (CO) 0.00 



Hydrogen (Ho) 0.80 



Methane (CH4) 15.02 



Nitogren (N2) 71 . 89 



Inert residue 12.09 



Total : 100.00 per cent. 



The large percentage of nitrogen and the small percentage of 

 methane and hydrogen explain the relative incombustibility of the 

 gas. The difference in composition between this gas and other repre- 

 sentative Kansas gases is shown by comparison with some analyses 

 published by Prof. E. H. S. Bailey (Kan. Univ.Quar., vol. 4, p. 10, 

 1895: 



Carbon dioxide 



Olefiant gas, etc 



Oxygen 



Carbon monoxide 



Marsrb-gas (methane) . 



Nitrogen 



Hydrogen 



Totals 



Paola. 



0.33 



o.n 



0.45 

 1.57 

 95.20 

 2.34 

 0.00 



100.00 



Osawat- 



omie. 



0.22 

 0.22 

 trace. 

 1.33 

 97.63 

 0.60 

 0.00 



100. 00' 



lola. 



0.90 

 0.00 

 0.45 

 1.23 

 89.56 

 7.76 

 O.OU 



100.00 



Cherry- 

 vale. 



0.22 

 0.00 

 0.22 

 1.16 

 92.46 

 5.94 

 0.00 



100.00 



Coffey- 

 ville. 



0.00 

 0.35 

 0.12 

 0.91 

 96.41 

 2.21 

 0.00 



100.00 



Inde- 

 pend- 

 ence. 



0.44 

 0.67 

 trace. 

 0.33 

 95.28 

 3.28 

 0.00 



100.00 



Neode- 

 sha. 



l.CO 

 0.22 

 0.65 

 0.50 

 90.56 

 7.07 

 0.00 



100.00 



These analyses and many others published by various authors show 

 that nitrogen is often found in small quantities in natural gases from va- 



