208 Mr. G. Gore on the Properties of [May 4, 



Potassium evolved no gas when the liquid acid came into contact with it ; 

 after eight days it was sometimes enlarged in bulk, and from the outset it was 

 of a white colour ; it did not at all dissolve. In a second experiment the 

 results were precisely similar ; after three days' intermittent immersion the 

 saline residue showed no signs of containing free potassium on immersing 

 it in dilute hydrochloric acid. Anhydrous carbonate of potash in powder 

 evolved no gas on first coming into contact with the liquid acid ; after 

 three days' occasional immersion it remained undissolved, and the residue 

 evolved no carbonic acid on immersion in dilute hydrochloric acid. A 

 crystal of chloride of potassium did not dissolve or change in appearance 

 by four hours' immersion in the liquefied acid. Powdered chlorate of 

 potash imparted a yellow colour to the liquid acid, and did not lessen in 

 bulk during three days' constant immersion ; the upper gutta-percha 

 stopper became quite white at its inner end. A crystal of nitrate of pot- 

 ash became of a brownish colour before the gas liquefied, and remained 

 undissolved after six days' intermittent immersion ; the upper gutta-percha 

 stopper was unusully acted upon, and of a nankeen colour. 



Sodium became white and swelled largely before the gas liquefied. No 

 visible gas was evolved by it in the liquid acid. After three days' inter- 

 mittent immersion the residue contained no sodium in the metallic state, 

 and no portionof it imparted a blue colour to damp litmus paper. Anhydrous 

 carbonate of soda in powder immersed one hour and a quarter in the liquid 

 acid evolved no visible bubbles of gas, and lost its alkaline reaction (with 

 litmus paper) to about three-fourths of its depth. A fragment of 

 'fused sulphide of sodium produced a slight sublimate of a yellowish- white 

 colour in the gaseous acid, and turned of a yellowish-white colour. It 

 evolved no visible gas in the liquefied acid*. After three days' variable 

 immersion it was of a yellowish-white colour, and somewhat enlarged in 

 bulk ; the residue evolved no sulphuretted hydrogen by immersion in 

 dilute hydrochloric acid, and its solution gave a perfectly white precipitate 

 with acetate of lead, and imparted no dark colour to sulphate of copper. 



Precipitated carbonate of baryta in powder evolved no visible gas by 

 immersion in the liquid acid ; it remained undissolved and unchanged in 

 appearance during three days' immersion ; the residue evolved a minute 

 quantity of gas by contact with dilute hydrochloric acid. Precipitated 

 carbonate of strontia in powder behaved like carbonate of baryta ; the 

 residue, after three days' immersion, was lost during the discharge. A 

 minute fragment of anhydrous Bristol lime exhibited no solution or altera- 

 tion by nearly constant immersion during eight days in the liquid acid. 

 On removal from the tube, it imparted a strong blue colour to neutral 

 litmus paper by slight friction. On fracture it was found similarly alka- 



* Probably the sulphuretted hydrogen set free was in a liquid state, and therefore no 

 bubbles of gas appeared. I found by experiment that hydrochloric acid and hydrosul- 

 phuric acid, generated together and condensed into a liquid state, did not form two 

 separate strata of liquid. 



