AMMONIA WITH CARBONIC ACID. 123 



of the bicarbonate with water, which might be prepared. If we 

 suppose that the carbonate of ammonia in hydrous combinations 

 must exist as carbonate of the oxide of ammonium, the formula 

 will be 3 (C + NR-*) + (2 C + NH"*), and then its water would 

 exactly suffice to change all the ammonia into the oxide of am- 

 monium. 



I examined several different specimens of the sublimate ob- 

 tained, and I sometimes obtained the expected results, and some- 

 times results somewhat differing. In some specimens the quan- 

 tity of carbonic acid contained is more considerable, so that it 

 appears to pass into the common sesquicarbonate. 



1-151 grm. of the salt gave 2*094 grm. of metalHc platina. This 

 cori-esponds to 31*65 per cent, of ammonia in the salt. 



1*433 grm. treated with a solution of chloride of barium and 

 ammonia, gave 3*4 17 grm. carbonate of barytes; 1*85 2 grm., treated 

 in the same manner, gave 4*517 grm. of carbonate of barytes. 

 The first result corresponds to 53*44, the last to 54*66 per cent, 

 of cai'bonic acid. 



Treated with muriatic acid over mercmy, I obtained, 



0-496 gv. 132-66 C. C. carb. acid gas, corresponding to 52-95 p. c. carb. acid. 

 0-623 168-8 „ „ 5364 



3-669 1000-8 „ „ 54-00 



It is seen that the quantity of carbonic acid in many specimens 

 approaches very near to that in the common sesquicarbonate, 

 which amounts to 55*9 per cent. On the other hand, I have 

 already remarked, that I had found in common sesquicarbonate 

 30*70 per cent, instead of 28*92 percent, of ammonia, and indeed, 

 once only, 50*55 per cent, instead of 55*9 per cent, carbonic acid. 

 The different quantities of the sesquicarbonate examined by me 

 were pm-chased from manufactories. Their mode of preparation 

 was, of course, unknown to me. It is probable that the specimens 

 which approached in their composition to that of the ^ carbonate 

 of ammonia were obtained in the manufactories by repeated sub- 

 hmation of the sesquicarbonate, perhaps with a view of purifying 

 it. It is, however, also possible that they were produced by 

 one very slow sublimation. 



The sesquicarbonate is, moreover, converted entirely into this 

 new salt, simply by the loss of half an atom of carbonic acid, 

 which, during the sublimation, is constantly evolved in the form of 

 gas. But as the hydrous neutral salt is formed at the same time, 

 the process is not so simple. As that contains but little water, the 



