35<* On the Change which Carhonic Acid Gai 



Befides the dillinftions eftabliflied by Klaproth and Vau- 

 quelin betsvcen the gadoline and ghicine, thefe two earths 

 appear to be different by the following peculiar properties : 



The fpecificgravityof oadoiiive diliers confiderably from that 

 ofglucinc, which isonlv2-967, while thatofgado]incis4.-843. 

 The la{t earth is the heavielt of all the earthy fubftanccs 

 known, fiiice it furpafles by 0-482 the gravity of barytes, 

 which weighs only 4000. 



It is foluble in alkaline carbonates. 



It k abfohitely infohdJe in cauftic alkalies. 



It is nolj like glucine, precipitated by fuccinates. 



LVni- Ohfervatiovs on the Change which Carhonic Acid Gas 

 experiences hy the EleSlric Spark, and on the Decompofifion 

 of the fame Gas by Hydrogen Gas. By Theodore Dfi 

 Saussure*. 



I. Change which Car'o7iic Acid Gas experiences hy the Elec- 

 tric Spark. 



Di 



R. PRIESTLEY had obferved that carbonic acid gas 

 dilated by the electric Ipark, and experienced a modification 

 which prevented it from being entirely abforbed by lime water, 

 or by alkalies. C. IVlonge examined with the grcateft care 

 what took place in this experiment, and found that the gas 

 produced by eleftrifation was inflammable gas. I fliall here 

 defenbc in a few words the principal refults of this obferva- 

 tion : A column of carbonic acid gas, of 34 inches, contained 

 by mercury, roie to '^^ inches and a halT^ after having been 

 traverfed for a long time by e!c6tric fparks, which circulated 

 between iron condu6lors. It could not be dilated any more 

 by further eleftrifation. The wires as well as the mercury 

 were oxidated. Potafli could only abforb ai inches and 

 a half of this column of acid gas: the remaining 14 inches 

 were inflammable gas. C. Monge accounts for thcfe phe- 

 nomena bv fuppofing that the carbonic acid gas does not 

 experience the leafl: alteration in its principles, and he rea- 

 fons nearly as follows : The conduiSlors and the mercury, by 

 decompofing th'i water held in folution in the carbonic acid 

 jas, produce two oppofite efi'ecls, of which nothing is ob- 

 erved but the difference, lit. The volume of the acid gas 

 is dirtiiniflied, bv being deprived of the water which it held 

 in folution. ad. The volume of the claftic fluid is augmented, 

 by the development of the hydrogen gas of the water de- 



• Fio:n the Juurr.al dts Ml>:cs, No. fcS. 



conipofed ; 



fe 



