160 METTALLOIDS. 



383. SUBLIMATION OF SULPHUR. 

 SlZlf The sublimation of sulphur may be 



of sulphur be shown by heating a small bit of the \ 



shown ? 



substance in a test-tube. Flowers 

 of sulphur will deposit in the upper portion of 

 the tube. 



384. COMBUSTION OF SULPHUR.- 



What is said ,__ . . 



of the com- Melt some flowers of sulphur upon 



^afphur{ the 6nd f a wire wound with 



thread, and hang them after ignition in a 

 vial of oxygen gas. The oxygen gas com- 

 bines with the sulphur, forming a new com- 

 pound gas, called sulphurous acid. A bril- 

 liant blue flame accompanies the combina- 

 tion. It thus appears that acids may be gase- 

 ous, as well as liquid. The acidity may be 

 proved, as usual, by blue litmus paper. 



385. BLEACHING BY SULPHUR. Intro- 



Descnbe the 



process of duce a red rose, or other flower, into a vial 

 mTans n of b L. filled with sulphurous acid. It will soon 

 phur ? lose its color. Wash it with dilute sulphu- 



ric acid, and the color re-appears This experiment 

 may also be made in a bottle, in which sulphur has 

 been burned in common air. 



386. EXPLANATION. Sulphurous acid 



Why docs sul- -, , , , , 



phurous acid lorms a white compound with the red color- 

 bieach? - n g matter O f the rose ft mav seem incom- 



prehensible, that a colorless gas, and red coloring 

 matter should unite to form white, and it would be 

 so, were the case one of mere mixture. But it is an 



