1820.] and Exemi nation of the Chemical Properties^ofUthia. 347 



soluble in hot water. A solution of carbonate of lithia containincr 

 only -^,5-5-th of its weight of the salt, acts strongly as an alkali. 



0'535 gramme of fused carbonate of lithia were, by means of 

 sulphuric acid and exposure to a strong heat, converted into 

 0-765 of neutral sulphate of lithia. Now this quantity of sulphate 

 contains 0'2436 of lithia. 



Hence 0"o35 of carbonate of lithia are composed of 



Lithia 0-2436 



Carbonic acid 0-2914 



0-o3o0 

 Or in the 100 parts, 



Lithia 4.5-54 



Carbonic acid 54-46 



100-00 

 But the oxygen in 



45-54 lithia is = 19-09 



54-46' carbonic acid. .... = 39-59 



and 2 x 19-09 = 38-18, a number differing but little from 39-59. 

 This analysis, therefore, corresponds very nearly with the law 

 discovered by Berzelius, according to which, in all neutral car- 

 bonates, the oxygen in the acid is double the quantity of that in 

 the base. 



To ascertain whether a bicarbonate of lithia can be formed, I 

 caused a stream of carbonic acid gas to pass in a cool place 

 througli a solution of carbonate oi' lithia in whicli tliere was a 

 quantity of undissolved carbonate. This last portion was spee- 

 dily dissolved by the carbonic acid ; but I could not obtain a 

 single crystal of bicarbonate. On exposing the liquid to a very 

 moderate heat, a quantity of carbonic acid gas was disengaged, 

 and, when the liquid cooled, the neutral carbonate of lithia was 

 again precipitated. 



The solution of carbonate of lithia is decomposed by lime and 

 barytes water. It is insoluble in alcohol. 



There dissolves an exceedingly small portion of carbonate of 

 glucina, even when the carbonate of glucina is dissolved in 

 muriatic acid, and the solution boiled with an excess of carbonate 

 of lithia. 



I made the observation that the platinum crucible in which 

 carbonate of lithia has been exposed to a red heat gives obvious 

 indications of having been attached, its surface assuming a dark 

 olive-green colour; but the nujtallic lustre is again restored by 

 rubbing the crucible with coarse sand and water. 



Muriate of lithia forms small regular cubes very similar to 

 common salt iu their taste. The eai,iest method of obtaming the 



