18-3 On some new analytical Researches 



acid. I have since carried on the same processes on a larger 

 scale, but with precisely similar results. 



When potassium is introduced into rnuriatic acid gas, 

 procured from muriate of ammonia and concentrated sul- 

 phuric a. id, and freed from as much moisture as muriate 

 of lime is capable of attracting from it, it immediately be- 

 comes covered with a white crust, it heals spontaneously, 

 and by the assistance of a lamp, acquires in some parts the 

 temperature of ignition, but does not inflame. When the 

 potassium aiid the gas are in proper proportions, they both 

 entirely disajipear; a white salt is formed, antl a quantity 

 of pure hydrogen gas evolved, which equals about one- 

 third of the original volume of the gas. 



By eight grains of potassium employed in this way, I 

 .effected the absorption of nearly twenty-lwo cubical inches 

 of muriatic acid gas ; and the quantity of hydrogen gas 

 produced was equal to more than eight cubical inches. 



The correspondence between the quantity of hydrogen 

 generated in cases of this kind, and by the action of potas- 

 sium upon water, con^bincd with the cfiTects of ignited char- 

 coal upon muriatic acid gas, by which a quantity of in- 

 flammable gas is produced equal to more than one-third of 

 its volume, seemed to show, that the phrenomena merely 

 depended upon moisture combined with the muriatic acid 

 gas*. 



To determine this point with more certainty however, 

 and to ascertain whether or no the appearance of the hy- 

 drogen was wholly unconnected with the decomposition of 

 the acid, I made two comparative experiments on the 

 quantity of muriate of silver, furnished by two equal quan- 

 tities of muriatic acid, one of which had been converted 

 into muriate of potash by the action of potassium, and the 

 other of which had been absorbed by water; every care was 

 taken to avoid sources of error ; and it was found that there 

 was no notable difi'crcnce in the wciglit of the results. 



There was no proof then, that the ijuiriatic acid had been 

 decompounded in these experiments ; and there was every 

 reason to consider it as containing in its Common aeriform 

 state, at least one-third of its weight of water; and this 



* When the Voltaic spark is taken continuously, by means of points of 

 charcoal in muriatic acid gas over mercury, muriate of mercury is rapidly 

 rformed, a volume of iuflammable gas, equal to one-third of the original 

 volume of the muriatic acid }.yas, appears. The acid gas enters into combina^- 

 tion with the oxide of mercury, so that writer enough is present in the ex- 

 periment to form oxide sufficient to absorb the whole of the acid. 



conclusion 



