1S6 Experiments to determine the [Sept. 



that of Feb. 22,* two atoms of water by one of gas ; and in that 

 of March 6, (from which was procured the peculiar acid gas 

 described in the latter part of this paper,) one atom of water only 

 was decomposed by one of sulphureted hydrogen. 



It is evident from these facts that azote has been formed from the 

 decomposition of water, and that azote is a compound of oxygen 

 and hydrogen, in which the former exists in a much less proportion 

 than in water. Is it possible to establish any data from these expe- 

 riments that can lead to the knowledge of the proportions in which 

 these elements combine to form azote ? In the experiments of 

 Jan. 5, azote was nearly the whole of the gaseous product : of 

 Nov: 25, azote and oxygen uncombined, nearly in the same pro- 

 portions as they exist in atmospheric air, were the results of the 

 process : of Feb. 22, sulphureted azote and hydrogen were formed 

 from the same elements : and of March (i, hydrogen and a peculiar 

 gas, (a compound of sulphur, azote, and hydrogen,) were the prin- 

 cipal products of the new arrangements. In all these changes it 

 must be apparent that by the decomposition of the water the 

 sulphur has become oxidated, and has taken a large quantity of its 

 exygen to convert it into an acid : it must therefore necessarily 

 follow, that the azote thus produced is a lower oxide of hydrogen 

 than water, and that its ultimate particle contains a greater number 

 of atoms of hydrogen than it does of oxygen. The different 

 electro-chemical habits of water and azote confirm this conclusion: 

 water, because of the equal balance of its electro-chemical forces 

 in the most simple arrangement, can be attracted by neither pole of 

 a Voltaic circuit, but must be separated into its origin;. 1 elements: 

 azote, on the contrary, we know to be strongly electro- positive; 

 and from its being so strongly attracted by the negative pole as to 

 resist the most violent attempts at decomposition, it is a fair con- 

 clusion that it contains a preponderating force of positive or hydro- 

 genous atoms. Were it possible to measure the degree of the 

 positive power of azote, we might at once arrive at the proportions 

 of its original elements. 



Among different formulas I have tried, none have been found to 

 agree so well with the results of my experiments as that which 



* We will suppose here that the materials passing through the tulie- were 

 2 ] i 



w "*■ sn + Tf ' '" c su 'p' :urete( * hydrogen having been obtained from the sul- 



pharet of iron, ami hence contaminated by hydrogen. These elements being 



4> 9 2 2 4S 



i? * SII + II or S O 11 ' '^ c nc v ' arrangement! will be, 



2 S 



4 > 

 8 H 



1 1 

 S 1 



6 



i 1 2 

 i \ II 



The results of this change will Rcncc ho one atom of sulphuric acid, and in the 

 gsscous 9tatc one atom «f sul| izbte with two atoms of hydrogen, which 



will be found to agree cx;ictl) n iiu the products of the experiment. 



