Experiments in Galvanie Electricity, ^4* 



deduces metallic oxyds, Mr. Crulckfhank filled the glafs tube 

 with a folution of acetite of lead to feparate the hydrogen 

 from the oxygen, and thus obtain the latter pure. Aa 

 excefs of acid was added to the acetite to take up the alkali : 

 Jn a minute or two after the communication was made, fome 

 fine metallic needles, which afterwards aflumed the form of a 

 feather, or rather that of the cryftals of ammonia, were per- 

 ceivable at the end of the filver wire. The lead was in its 

 metallic ftate. 



Solutions of fulphat of copper and nitrat of filver, were 

 tried in the fame way, and with fimilar refults. The metals 

 Vvere revived. 



When pure water, mixed with diftilled vinegar or with a 

 very little fulphuric acid, were employed in the tube, metallic 

 filver was precipitated by the filver wire, the acid employed 

 preventing the alkali from precipitating the filver diflblved by 

 the generated acid} in confequence of which, when a fuffi- 

 cient quantity of the metal was taken up, it was again thrown 

 down by the filver wire in its metallic form. 



Muriat of ammonia in folution being tried, a little o-as 

 was difengaged from the filver wire : an incruCtation of luna 

 eornea was formed round the zinc wire; The liquor re- 

 maining after the experiment, fmclled ftrongly of ammonia. 

 Common fait was decompofed alfo. Indeed,' when a folu- 

 tion of muriat of foda or of ammonia is employed to moifteu 

 the papers in the pile, the fait is always decompofed. 

 Nitrat of magnefia was decompofed by the fame means. 

 In fome after experiments gold wires were tried, and the 

 quantity of oxygen gas obtained was much greater t'lan when 

 lilver wires were employed. 



Two gold wires were pafTed through a cork loofely intro- 

 duced into the mouth of a three-ounce phial filled with lime 

 Water: the phial being inverted over pure water, the exterior 

 ends of the wires were conneaed with the pile in the ufu-l 

 way. In four hours the phial was filled with gas extricated 

 from the wires, efpecially the one counecled with the filver 

 One meafare of the gas mixed with two of nitrous eas, a 

 diminution of one meafure took place: the refiduunrcon- 

 tamed nitrous gas mLxed with hydrogen. Four meafiirca 



exploded 



