[ 28o ] 



GoRNETTE faturated 2304 grains of nitrous acid whofe fp. 

 grav. was to that of water as 10 to 8, that Is, 1,250 (he does not 

 mention the temperature) with 1152 of an aerated vol-alkali ex- 

 tradlcd from fal ammoniac by a fixed alkali (he does not tell how 

 much air it contained), and evaporating to drynefs obtained 1476 

 of uncryflallized nitrated vol-alkali, Mem. Par. 1783, p. 748. 



If the fp. grav. of the acid were taken at 60'' it would contain 

 by my table 31,62 per cent, real acid, but if at 10" of Reuamur, 

 as Is ufual in France, It would contain 32 per cert, the concrete 

 alkali being extra(5ted by a fixed alkali which yields moft, cannot 

 be fuppofed to contain lefs than 52 per cent, of fixed air, and confe- 

 quently 24 per cent, of mere voi-alkali, then 2304 grains of his acid 

 contained 737,28 real nitrous acid, and 1152 of the aerated vol- 

 alkali contained 281,48 of mere vol-alkali; and if 737,28 real iii- 

 trous acid take up 28 1,48 of mere vol-alkali, 100 grains of the 

 acid fhould take up 38,2 nearly of vol-alkali wliich approaches 

 nearly to my conclufion. 



But aslo the quantities of nitrated vol-alkali the difference is far 

 greater; for if 737,28 grains of real acid faturated with vol-alkali 

 afford 1,76 of nitrated vol-alkali, 100 grains of this acid Ibould 

 afford 200 of this fait; whereas by my computation it fhould af- 

 ford but 175,44. 



These difcordant refuhs evidently fhew that a decompofition 

 takes place in evaporating this fait in a heat even of 80*^ ; the hy- 

 drogen 



