346' Neiv analytical Mesearches, &e. 



trogen could have been condensed in the form of rjJtrlc 



acid. 



Except when precautions of ihh kinci are emp]o)'ed, as I 

 have before noticed, no accurate data can be (ibtaincd re- 

 specting the proportions of permanent gases ohtaintid from 

 ammonia by eJectricity. 



When the gas is generated and decomposed over the 

 same mercury, there is amays a greater expansion than the 

 Irue one ; and xvhen the mercnrv is not boiltd in the t'.ibe, 

 and uhen common water is used, the nitrogen will be al- 

 ways over-ratedj unless this error is counteracted by an 

 fjpposite error, that of detonating with an excess of oxy- 

 gen*. '* 



Dr. Henry had the kindness to send me the apparatus, 

 in which he conceived, at that time, that he had witnessed 

 the formation of water in the dccomposinon of ammonia 

 by ekctriciry, byhts ingenious method of applying hygro- 

 inelrical te^ts. 



1 tried one experiment only with it, and in this there 

 seemed to me to be more moisture exhibited in the elastic 

 matter after electrization than before, xvhen it was cotiied 

 by the evaporation of ether: but on maturely considering 

 this question, I do not think that the appearance of mois- 

 ture even offers a decided proof of the existence of loosdy 

 combined oxygen in amtTfonia. To common bygrometrieai 

 tests, water must be less sensible in ammonia than in hy- 

 drogen or nitrogen, from its tendency to be precipitated in 

 the form of alkaline solution, and likewise pi-obaWy from 

 its having a stronger adherence to the oas; and the elastic 

 fluid generated, from the increase of vokunewill be capable 

 of containing more aqueous vapour. 



It is not easy to determine, with perfect precision, the 

 specific gravity of a gas, so light as hydrogen and even am- 

 monia ; but the toss of weight, which appears to take place 

 in the electrical analysis of ammonia, cannot, 1 think, with 

 propriety, be referred entirely tothis circn.rti^tance: whether 

 the solution that I have ventured to give f be the true one, 

 I shall not, in the present state of the inquiry, attempt to 

 discuss. 

 The question of ammonia being analogous to other sali- 



* It will be seen by Dr. Henry's letter, [page 3^9 of our present Num- 

 ber, EiiiT.] that in repeiiting bis processes, since this paper was writ- 

 ten, he has gained results almost precisely the same as those iudic:ite(i in the 

 text ; and there i? every reason to believe, that 100 of amfJionia in volume 

 waiformly become 180, when decomposed by electricity, ;uid'that the ^\ 

 produced consists in 100 parts of 74 hydrogen and 26 nitrogeii. 



■{■ Bakerian Lecture, 1 807, p. 40. ' .■ ■ 



£able 



