' 110 Mr. Faraday on two new Compounds [Aug.. 



the electric spark with a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases; 

 i but the gaseous results are very mixed and uncertain, from the 

 near equipoise of affinities that exist among the elements. 



Sulphur readily unites to it when melted with it, and the mix- 

 ture crystallizes on cooling into a yellowish mass. When 

 heated more strongly, the substance rises unchanged, and leaves 

 the sulphur unaltered; but when the mixed vapours are raised 

 to a still higher temperature, chloride of sulphur and protochlo- 

 ride of carbon are formed. Sometimes there are appearances as 

 if a carburet of sulphur were formed, but of this I have not 

 satisfied myself. 



Phosphorus at low temperatures melts and unites with the 

 substance, without any decomposition. If heated in the vapour 

 of the substance, but not too highly, it takes away chlorine, and 

 forms the protochlorides of phosphorus and carbon. If heated 

 more highly, it frequently inflames in the vapour with a brilliant 

 combustion, and abundance of charcoal is deposited. Some- 

 times I have had the charcoal left in films stretching across the 

 tubes, and occupying the space where the flame passed. The 

 appearance is then very beautiful. 



When phosphorus is heated with the vapour of the substance 

 over mercury, so as not to inflame in it, there is generally a 

 small portion of muriatic acid gas formed. If great care be 

 taken, this is in very minute quantity ; and its variable propor- 

 tion sufficiently shows, that the hydrogen which forms it does 

 not come from the substance. I am induced to believe that it 

 is derived from moisture adhering to the phosphorus. The 

 action of iodine on phosphorus shows, that it is very difficult to 

 dry the latter substance perfectly. 



A stick of phosphorus put into the alcoholic or etherial solu- 

 tion of the perchloride did not exert any action upon it. 



Charcoal heated in the vapour of the substance appears to 

 have no action upon it. 



Most of the metals decompose it at high temperatures. 

 Potassium burns brilliantly in the vapour, depositing charcoal, 

 and forming chloride of potassium. Iron, zinc, tin, copper, and 

 mercury, act on it at a red heat, forming chlorides of those 

 metals, and depositing charcoal ; and when the experiments 

 are made with pure substances, and very carefully, no other 

 results are obtained. Some of the substance was passed over 

 iron turnings heated in a glass tube. At the commencement of 

 the sublimation of the chloride through the hot iron, the common 

 air of the vessels was expelled, and received in different tubes ; 

 but before one-third of the substance had been passed, all libe- 

 ration of gas ceased, and the remainder was decomposed by the 

 iron, without the production of any gaseous matters. The dif- 

 ferent portions of air that were thrown out being examined, the 

 first proved to be common air, and the last carbonic oxide. This 

 had resulted, probably, from the action of the chlorine on the 



