NITROUS OXIDE. 477 



The three proportions of water consist ofoxy. 24+hydrog. 3=27 

 two " nitrous oxide 1 6 -\-nitr og. 28=44 



71* 



(e.) This view supposes the nitrate of ammonia to be anhydrous, 

 and all the water that appears during the decomposition, to be gener- 

 ated and not evolved. 



It is a beautiful example of the arrangement of principles in defi- 

 nite proportions, so that with a complete decomposition and a forma- 

 tion of new products, there is no loss. 



4. PROOFS OF THE PURITY OF THE GAS. 



(a.) When the mouth is applied to a bottle of it, a distinctly sweet- 

 ish taste is perceived, without any corrosiveness or peculiar smell.f 



(I.) Entirely absorbed by agitation ivith about its own volume of 

 water, that has been previously boiled, and become cold without the 

 access of air. The saturated water will have a sweetish taste, and 

 faint agreeable odor, and the gas will be expelled, unaltered, by boil- 

 ing ; the solution does not redden the vegetable blue colors, or pro- 

 duce any exhilirating effects. 



(c.) JVb red fumes are produced by mingling this gas with oxygen 

 gas or common air, which would happen if nitric oxide gas were 

 present ; 



(d.) Nor, on the other hand, does nitric oxide gas produce any 

 change of color or absorption, as it would do if free oxygen gas were 

 mingled with it. 



(e.) It is not diminished by agitation with green sulphate of iron, 

 which would be the fact if nitric oxide were present. 



(/.) It is not acid. 



5. PHYSICAL, PROPERTIES. 

 (.) Colorless transparent. 



(b.) Specific gravity, 1.5277, common air being 1. 



(c.) Weight for 100 cubic inches of the gas at medium tempera- 

 ture and pressure, 46.596 ; this appears also from its constitution, 

 which is nitrogen 100 cubic inches, weighing 29.652 grains, and ox- 

 ygen, 50 cubic inches, weighing 16.944 grains, =46. 596, J the 150 

 volumes of gases being condensed into 100. 



* Turner. 



t Provided it has stood long enough over water to 'absorb any saline or acid vapor, 

 for which one hour and sometimes half an hour is sufficient. 



t Dr. Prout, as has been already observed, introduced the rule that the atomic or 

 representative number of a gas multiplied into the specific gravity of oxygen, if that 

 be unity, or of hydrogen, if that be unity, will give the specific gravity of the gas 

 in question thus, if oxygen be unity, then the representative number of nitrous 

 oxide is 2.75 and 2.75 X by .555 =1.526 or the equivalent hydrogen being unity, is 

 22, which X .0694 = 1.526. 



