Oxymuriat'ic Gas and Oxygen. IS 



containing 10 cubical inches, exploded in my hands with a 

 loud report, producing light ; the vessel was broken, and 

 fragments ai: it were iLirown to a considerable distance. 



1 analysed a portion otthis gas, by causing it to explode 

 over mercury in a curved glass lube, by the heat ot a spirit 

 lamp. 



The oxymuriatic gas formed, was absorbed by water; the 

 oxygen was found to be piae, by the test of nitrous gas. 



Fifty parts of the detonating gas, by decomposition, ex- 

 panded so as to become 60 parts. The oxygen, remaining 

 after the absorption of the oxymuriatic gas, was about 20 

 parts. Several other experiments were made, with similar 

 results. So that it may be inferred, that it consists of two 

 in volume of oxymuriatic gas, and one in volume of oxy- 

 gen ; and the oxygen in the gas is condensed to half its 

 volume. Circumstances contormable to the laws of com- 

 bination of caseous fluids, so ably illustrated by M. Gay 

 Lussac, and to the theory of definite proportions. 



I have stated on a former occasion, that appnjximations 

 to the numbers representing the proportions in which oxy- 

 gen and oxymuriatic gas combine, are found in 7'5 and 

 32*9. And this compound gas contains nearly these quan- 

 tities *. 



The smell of the pure explosive gas somewhat resembles 

 that of burnt sugar, mixed with the peculiar smell of oxy- 

 nnuriatic gas. Water appeared to take up eight or ten times 

 its volume ; but the experiment was made over mercury, 

 which might occasion an error, though it did not seem to 

 act on the fluid. 7"he water became of a tint approachino- 

 to orange. 



When the explosive gas was detonated with hydrotrc-n, 

 equal to twice its volume, there was a great absorption, to 

 more than one-third, ancl solution of muriatic acid was 

 formed ; when the explosive gas was in excess, oxygen was 

 always txpelled, a fact demonstrating the stronger attraction 

 ot hydrogen for oxymuriatic gas tlun for oxvgen. 



* In page 'J'15 of tlie Phi!. Trans, fur 1810, 1 have mentioned that the 

 specific j^ravity of oxymuriaric gas is between 7-1 and 75 grains per 100 cij- 

 liical inches. The gas that I weighed, was collected over waier and pro- 

 cured fioin hyper-oxymurlate of potash, and at that time I conceived, tliat 

 this elastic fluid did not diiror fn m the oxynuiriatic gas from manganese, 

 except in being purer. It probably contained soniC of the new gas; for I 

 iiud that the specific gravity of pure oxynuiiiatic gas from manganese, and 

 muriatic acid is to that uf common air, as -14 tj lOt). Taking this estima- 

 tion, the specific gravity of the new gas will be about -:;«, and the number 

 representing the proportion in which oxymuriatic gis combines from this 

 titimatioii, w.U be rather Iiiglicr than is stated above. 



I have 



