COMBINATION OF MERCURY 



5 x. /// CbaraVer in rcfictt of Air and Water: 



CORROSIVE mercury does not attract moifture 

 from the air. For tho purpofo of diflolving it, 

 more or Icfs water is requifue, according to the 

 increale of tli* temperature of the water. Speil- 

 inan allorts, that an ounce of water, of the 

 temperature of 30 degrees of Fahrenheit's ther- 

 mometer can ditlMve thirty grains of it*; hence, 

 h-ilf an ounce of water at is degrees of the 

 Swedifh thermometer, will take up a lixtcenth 

 part of its own weight. The cxpeiiments of 

 Macquer are f>mewlut diUerent from this; for, 

 if we follow him in his conclu lions, we lhall be- 

 lieve, that half an ounce of water, at the tem- 

 perature of 16, will diilMve a twci tietij part; 

 and, at the boiling point, even mure than a 

 half of its own weight. 



it is, however, to be ohferved, that on mix. 

 ing this fult with warm water, the heat of the 

 mixture is railed beyond the looth degiee of 

 the b \vedilh thermometer, but at the very time 

 of the fulution no change of tcmperatuie is ob- 

 ferved. If (id ammoniac is added lilieuife, we 

 have noinconliderable degiee of a foiution ; al- 

 though Dollie is of a dillerent opinion f. Mac- 

 quer knew by experiment, that three ounces of 

 water impregnated with ful anuuoniac, were ca- 

 pable 



* lufl. chcm. 



f Laburutory laid open, 1758* 



