274 Dr. Henry on the Analysis of Gaseous Mixtures 



VII. Mixtures of Hydrogen, Carbnretted Hydrogen, and Car- 

 bonic Oxide icit/i Oxygen. 

 In mixtures of these gases, it is of little consequence whether 

 the oxygen be sufficient for the hydrogen antl carbonic oxide 

 only, or be adequate to the saturation of all three. The circum- 

 stance which has the greatest influence on tlie results of ex- 

 posing such mixtures to the sponge, is the pi'oportion which 

 the simple hydrogen bears to the other gases, and especially 

 to the carbonic oxide ; for in order that there may be any im- 

 mediate action, the former should exceed the latter in volume. 

 In that case the hydrogen is converted into water, and the 

 carbonic oxide into carbonic acid ; but the carbnretted h\ dro- 

 gen, unless the excess of hydrogen be very considerable, re- 

 mains unaltered. If the proportion of hydrogen be so small 

 that no immediate action is excited by the sponge, the ingre- 

 dients of the mixture nevertheless act slowly upon each other; 

 and after a few days the whole of the hydrogen and carbonic 

 oxide are found to have united with oxygen, and the carbu- 

 retted hydrogen to remain of its original volume. 



\'^III. Mixtures of Hydrogen, Carbonic Oxide, and Olefiant 

 Gases li'ii/i Oxygen. 



When the oxygen, in a mixture of these gases, is sufficient 

 to saturate the two first only, and the proportion of hydrogen 

 is so adjusted that the action of the sponge is not very ener- 

 getic, the hydrogen and carbonic oxide only are acted upon; 

 but if the diminution of volume, which the sponge produces, 

 be rapid and considei'able, part of the defiant gas is converted 

 into water and carbonic acid. This effect on olefiant gas takes 

 place still more readily if the oxygen present be adequate to 

 the saturation of all three combustible gases. 



It is remarkable, that if to a mixture of hydrogen, carbonic 

 oxide, and oxygen, in such proportions that the sponge would 

 act rapidly in producing combination, olefiant gas be added, 

 the action of the gases on each other is suspended. Thus 20 

 measures of carbonic oxide, 31 of h3'drogen, and 20 of oxy- 

 gen, were instantly acted upon by the sponge ; but the addi- 

 tion of 20 measures of olefiant gas to a similar mixture en- 

 tirely suspended its efficiency. By standing fourteen days, 

 rather more than half the carbonic oxitle was acidified, and 

 about one-twelfth of the hydrogen was changed into water, but 

 the olefiant gas remained unaltered. 



IX. Mixtures of Hydrogen, Carbonic Oxide, Carburettcd Hy- 

 drogen, and Olefiant Gases tvit/i Oxygen. 

 In mixtures of these four gases with oxygon, it was foinul 



