by Means o/'Doebereiner's Eudiometer. 271 



on their temperature when introduced into the gaseous mix- 

 ture, the diameter of the containing vessel, and other circum- 

 stances, which, in comparing different gases, should be so re- 

 gulated as to be equal in every case. 



When the proportions of the gases are changed, so that the 

 explosive mixture exceeds in volume the defiant gas, there is a 

 more decided action upon the latter, manifested by an increased 

 production of carbonic acid. Thus, for example, the explo- 

 sive mixture being to the olefiant as 2\ to 1, -about one-fourth of 

 the olefiant gas was consumed ; and by increasing the propor- 

 tion of the explosive mixture the olefiant gas was still more 

 acted upon. On using oxygen sufficient to saturate both the 

 liydrogen and the olefiant gases, the ball acted much more 

 rapidly: in several instances it became red-hot; all the hydro- 

 gen was consumed ; and the whole of the olefiant gas was 

 changed into water and carbonic acid. In this case the use 

 of the sponge is inadmissible, as it kindles the gases, and oc- 

 casions their detonation. 



II. Mixtures of Hydrogen and Carburetted Hydrogen Gases mth 

 Oxygen. 



When carburetted hydrogen, procured from stagnant water, 

 was added to an explosive mixture, in various proportions be- 

 tween equal volumes, and ten of the former to one of the lat- 

 ter, the action of the hydrogen and oxygen on each other took 

 place as usual, on admitting one of the balls. When, revers- 

 ing the proportion, the explosive mixture was made to exceed 

 the carbm-etted hydrogen, but not more than four or five times, 

 tlie latter gas was entirely unchanged. With a larger pro- 

 portion of the explosive mixture carbonic acid was always 

 found to have been produced ; but still the carburetted hydro- 

 gen was very imperfectly consumed ; and fully three-fourths 

 of it were generally found to have escaped unburned. 



When to a mixture of hydrogen and carburetted hydrogen, 

 oxygen enough was added to saturate both gases, the effect of 

 the sponge was found to vary with the proportion of the sim- 

 ple hydrogen. In several cases, where the hydrogen did not 

 exceed the carburetted hydrogen more than four times, the 

 latter gas remained unchanged; when in larger proportion, 

 there was a decided action upon the carburetted hydrogen. 

 But it was much more easy to regulate the action of the balls 

 upon sucli a mixture so as to act upon the hydrogen and oxy- 

 gen only, than in the case of olefiant gas, which, under similar 

 ciicumstances, is always more largely converted into water 

 and carbonic acid. 



III. Mixtures 



