On the conjlituent Paris of Azof. 34^ 



Confiderable variation in the proportions of its conftituent 

 principles*. 



" I fliall call the water \\f^ the oxygen 0, the hydrogen H, 

 the ponderable part of atmofpheric air h, and the ponderabiif 

 part of azotic gas S. 



Then 100 W = 85 O + 15 H. 

 " But a cubic inch of atmofpheric air is a mixture of 

 ^ cubic inch of oxygen gas and \ cubic inches of azotic gas j 

 therefore, 



I L = ±0 + IS. 

 *' One inch of atmofpheric air weighs 0*4^ grains, one of 

 oxygen gas O'^i grains, and one of azotic gas 0-44 grains; 

 coufequenily, 



0-46 L = £lLi O + I 0-44 S. 



1-84 L = 0*51 O + 1-33 S. 

 184 L = 51 O + 132 S. 

 100 L = 27-8 O + 72-2 S. 

 *^ Azotic gas being a compound of oxygen and hydrogen, 

 S ■==. X O + jK H ; therefore, 

 100 L = (27-8 + 72*2 .r) O 4- 72-2 )' H. 

 " But Mature converts 100 grains of water into 100 grains 

 of atmofpheric air; confequently, 



100 W = 100 L; then, 

 27-8 4- 72-2 .r = 85 

 72-27 = 15 

 *' Therefore .v = 0*79, and y = 0'2l nearly. 



S = 079 O 4- 0-2I H, or 100 S = 79 O 4- 21 H. 

 *' That is to fay, loo grains of azotic gas are corapofed 

 of 79 grains of oxygen and 21 grains of hydrogen." 



Having applied this ingenious mode of calculation, em- 

 .ployed by M. Mayer, to the other oxyds of hydrogen, I had 

 the following refult : 



If N be the nitric acid, we know by experiment that 

 100 N = 79-5 O 4- 20-5 S. 



* This is a very important point, to which M- Mayer has ilirc£lci! onr 

 attention. It will be ntccfTury to mal<e a great number of very accurate 

 experiments to determine the different degrees of thg oxydation of hydro- 

 gen, and to dirtinguifh the ditfcrcut gafes hitherto comprehended under 

 the general name of axotic gas. 



Now, 



