Experiments on Ammonia. 447^ 



of a great many applications : we should endeavour there- 

 fore more and more to establish it, and it is my intention 

 to. attempt this in subsequent memoirs. 



LXVI. Experiments on Ammonia, and an Account of a neiv 

 Method of amdijsing it, by Combustion with Ox7/gen and 

 other Gases; in a Letter to Humphry Davy, Esq.f 

 Sec. R.S.&'c, from William Henry, M.D., F.R.S. 

 V. P. of ike Lit. and PhiL Society, and Physician to 

 the Infirmary, at Manchester . 



[Concluded from p. 375.] 



II. Experiments, in which Ammonia tvas fired ivith a de- 

 ficient Proportion of Oxygen Gas. 



OiXTY-THREE measures of ammonia were exploded over 

 mercury with 33 of oxygen gas containing one of nitrogen. 

 The total, t)6, when fired by an electric spark, were di- 

 minished to .57 measures, which were not contracted any 

 further by successive agitation with water and with sui- 

 phuret ot lime. The whole of the ammonia, therefore, was 

 decomposed; and all the oxygen had entered into combina- 

 tion with the hydrogen of the alkali. The residuary 57 

 measures were mingled with 40 measures of the sanie oxv- 

 gen gas, and detonated by an electric spark ; after which 

 the total, 97, vvere reduced to 60. The diminution, there- 

 fore, was 37 measures ; and as two-thirds of this inunber 

 may be a>crib'd to the condensation of hydrogen gas, ilie 

 residuary :)^ must have been couiposed of 24-66 hydrogen 

 and 32-;d4 nitrogen. The oxvgen expended also was 32 

 in the first combustion, + 12*33 in the second, = 44*33 ; 

 and tills number, being doubled, gives 88*6G for the whole. 

 hydrogen saturated, supposing it to be in the state of hy- 

 drogen gas. But from the above quantity of niiroocn 

 (32*34 measures) we are to deduct one measure, with wlueh 

 the 33 measures of oxygen were contaminated; and the 

 remainder 31*34 shows the number of measures of nitro- 

 gen resulting from 63 measures of anmionia. The total 

 amount of gases obtained is 31*34 + 88*66= 120; and 

 the proportion of the hydrogen by volume to that of the 

 Jiilrogt'u, as 73*88 to 26*12. 



'I\» avoid the icdidusness of similar details, I shall state 

 in the form of a tai;k:, ihe results of a few ex|ierimci»ts out 

 of a miniber of others^, all of which had, as ncailv as could 



bu 



