98 On definite Proportions. 
of crystallization of which the oxygen is equal to that of the 
base. 
Sulphate of ammonia. Ihad mixed 10 grammes of dry sul- 
phate of ammonia with 30 gr. of caustic lime in a small glass 
retort, and then completely filled up the bulb and the neck of 
the retort with lime. I fitted to the mouth of the retort a small 
glass tube filled with caustic potass, and then heated the bulb 
slowly till it was completely ignited. When no more ammoniacal 
gas escaped through the opening of the tube, I withdrew the 
heat: the apparatus, when cold, had lost 2°26 gr. of its weight. 
In another experiment it lost only 2°25 gr. Now since the am- 
monia must saturate a quantity of sulphuric acid which contains 
three times as much oxygen as itself, this salt must consist of 
| Sulphuric acid...... 53d°l 
Ammonia.....e5s0+ 22°6 
Waterini civilians seer 
This quantity of water contains 21-444 of oxygen, and the 
Zs . . . 
aumonia, according to my determination, 10°6; and 10°6 x2= 
21-2. 
In these experiments it is very difficult to drive out the am- 
monia completely, for a small portion of it almost always re- 
mains in the water which is condensed in the lime and the po- 
tass.. But we see from the experiment, that in this-salt the water 
of crystallization contains twice as much oxygen as the base. 
The oxalate of ammonia exhibits the singular spectacle of an 
ammoniacal salt falling to powder. According to some former 
experiments, the loss of weight during this efflorescence should 
amount to 16 percent. But in several experiments I never ob- 
tained a greater diminution than. 13-75 per cent. If now 100 
parts of oxalic acid saturate a base which contains 21:2 parts of 
oxygen, the salt must be thus constituted: 
Oxalic acid..... 59°37 
Ammonia ...... 2688 
Water «ca swine areca ee 
This quantity of ammonia contains 12°586 of oxygen, and the 
water 12:134. We may therefore assume it as demonstrated, 
that the base and the water of crystallization in this salt contam 
equal quantities of oxygen. The variation certainly depends 
only on some slight errors in the experiments. 
Muriate of baryta. Seventeen grammes of finely powdered 
muriate of baryta, dried in the shade, lost 2°505 gr. of their 
weight, when ignited in a platina crucible. Consequently the 
crystallized salt consists of 
Muriatic acid .... 23°349 
Baryte ..%.050'. ve) OL852 
Water: icrinsyns oe. 14798 
This 
