Experiments on Ammonia. 451 



in tlie proportion of 73-4 to 24-6. From the same facts it 

 niav be dcJuccd, that 100 measures of ammonia require for 

 saturation 130 of nitrous oxide = 67 j oxygen gas. Tiie 

 coincidence then, between the resuhs of the combustion of 

 ammonia with nitrons oxide, and those wilh oxvgen gas, 

 confirms the accuracy of both methods of analysis. 



Nitrous gas, which, it appears from your testimony*, 

 does not compose an inflammable mixture with hydrotren, 

 (nor, as I am assured by Mr. Daltfni, with any of the va- 

 rieties of carburetted hydrogen) may be employed, I lind, 

 for the combustion of ammonia. The proportions required 

 for muiual saturation are about i 20 measures of nitrous gas 

 to 100 of ammonia. An excess of the former gas does not 

 give accurate results ; since not only the hydrogen of the 

 amn\onia, but some of us nitrogen is also condensed ; and 

 the mixture, after being fired, exhibits the cloudy ap- 

 pearance usual in that case. 



Forty-eight measures of ammonia, being fired with do 

 nitrous gas, (= .53 pure) both gases were completely de- 

 composed ; and a residue left consisting of 61 nitroiren and 

 9 hydrogen. Sixty measures of ammonia and 4 1 nitrous 

 gas (= 36-1 pure) gave^ after firing, a mixture composed 

 of 10 ammonia, 33; nitrogen, and 301 hydrogen. But 

 taking for granted that 100 measures of nitrous gas, ac- 

 cordinc; to vour analysis, hold in combination a quantity 

 of oxygen equal to 571 nicasurcs of oxygen gas, and of 

 nitrogen equal to 4S! measures, and assummg the propor- 

 tions of tht- nitrogen and hydrogen in ammonia to be those 

 established by your experiments and my own ; it will a]-)- 

 pcar from an easy calculation, that the proportion of ni- 

 trogen, in the above residua, a little exceeds, and that of 

 ihe hydrogen rather falls short of what might have been 

 expected. I have not yet been able to reconcile these dif- 

 ferences, by the numerous trials required in a proccas of so 

 ijxuch delicacy; and ] reserve the inquiry for a season of 

 more leisure. The foregoing statement I wish to be con- 

 sidered as merely announcing the general fact of the com- 

 bustibility of a mixture of ammonia and nitrous gas, a pro- 

 perly which ehi( dy derives importance from its being ca- 

 pable of application to a new method of analysing the latter. 



Before concluding this letter, I shall briefly state the re- 

 sults of some experiments, which I have lately made in lon- 

 j'.mclion wiili ^\i. Dallon, on a subject that formerly oc- 



• Rctearc'lics, p. 13(7. 



F f 2 cwpled 



