446 r.xperiintiili tt^ih Phifphtrut OfiJ 



filled witli ■wliile vapours. Aftcrwanb, in proportion is the vefTcl, wliich W«S not broken 

 in this experiment, became cool, the phofphorus congealed, but continued to fliinc, 

 though without emitting fparks. When the vefll-l was opened under mercury ; the metal 

 entered, and tilled one tiiird of its capacity. The gas wliieh remained after the rapid com- 

 bullion of the phofphorus was tried over mercuijt; firft, by mixing oxygene gas, luid. 

 , afterwards the hydrogeiic and azotic gafcs : but no lljjht or other phenomenon appeared, to 

 dcferve attention. 



I covered the ball of a thermometer with two grains of phofphorus melted in hot water, 

 and immediately conveyed this inltrument, which marked I o degrees above o, into a 

 fniall bottle full of oxygenated muriatic acid gas. 1 foon obferved white vapours, by the 

 allilUuce of a light ; for the experiment was performed in the dark. The phofphorus be- 

 came foft, flowed, and toot fire ; and the mercury in the thermometer was feen to rife from 

 10 to 50 degrees. 



EXP. VIII.— T7v ricmmenti of Phofphorus in the Carbonic Add Gas. 



AS the carbonic acid gas, at a low temperature, pafles readily enough through water, 

 without being abforbal, to be fubje£led to experiment even in the hydro-pneumatic ap- 

 paratus ; I difcng.aged this gas from the carbonate of lime by means of the diluted fulphuric 

 acid. 1 coUefted the pureft gas, and included fix cubic inches in a large tube clofed above, 

 and having its lower end plunged in a veflel of water. A cylinder of phofphorus which 

 was introduced in the dark did not immediately fhine, but after about two minutes it 

 began to emit a glimmering light, which increafed to a greater degree of brilliancy thaa 

 would have been exhibited in atmofpheric air. The temperature was about ten degree* 

 above zero. 



Little fatislied with thefe trials, I repeated the fame experiments over mercury, and 

 obtained the following rcfults. The phofphorus did not fliine in the pure carbonic acid 

 gas, and did not appear to me to be dilTolved in the fame manner as in fome of the pre- 

 ceding gafcs ; for the carbonic acid gas mixed with oxygcne gas did not afford any light, 

 though it had been long in contafl with a large cylinder of phofphorus. Confequently 

 the light which appeared in the carbonic acid gas over water depended on a portion of pure • 

 air which was difcngaged from the water itfelf, and mixed with the carbonic acid gas, 

 while this laft combined with the water, and dimlnillicd the affinity of that fluid for the 

 portion of oxygene it ufually holds in folution. 



EXP. IX. — Seme Phenomena of Phofphorus •with Atmofpheric Air, 

 I PUT fevcral pieces of phofphorus into two phials of cryftal glafs, of the capacity of 

 about four cubic inches, half filled with pure water, and the other half containing atmo- 

 fpheric air. Thefe phials were agitated from time to time : after thiec days, the temperature 

 of the air being at 1 8 degrees above zero, the water in the bottles emitted a very per- 

 ceptible fmell of phofphorus, and was a little turbid. The phials being afterwards clofed 

 and gci:tly agitated in obfcurity, I obferved that the included air, whicli was at fird ob- 

 fcurcd, immediately flione by a flame which (truck the infide of the phial. By the al&llance 

 of light it 'vas feen that the tranfparency of the air was affedled by white vapours'. Whfti 

 tjic vapours had ccaftd, I agitated the phial again in the il.irk, and the fame phenomenon 



appeared. 



