EXPLOSION OR DETONATION. 127 



caloric around them with a greater force than that 

 by which it repels its own particles; but when 

 they are decomposed and subdivided into smaller 

 particles, the repulsive force of their aethereal con- 

 stituent acquires the ascendency. 



The same principle applies to all fulminating 

 compounds, whether solid, liquid, or aeriform, as 

 chlorate of potass, fulminating mercury, gold, 

 silver, platina, &c. ; iodide and chloride of ni- 

 trogen, protoxide and peroxide of chlorine, and 

 some other detonating compounds, all of which 

 are attended with expansion of volume and dis- 

 engagement of heat, during their decomposition. 



Chlorate of potass is composed of chloric acid 

 and potass. When triturated with sulphur, phos- 

 phorus, and charcoal, it forms a deflagrating com- 

 pound. In the ratio of 3 parts of the chlorate to 

 1 of sulphur, it explodes violently when gently 

 heated, or struck with a hammer. If 2 grains of 

 the chlorate be mixed with 1 of phosphorus, in 

 a bit of paper, and struck with a hammer upon 

 an anvil, there is a violent explosion. The chloric 

 acid is decomposed in all such cases ; the chlorine 

 unites with the combustible ; and the oxygen 

 being liberated expands with a force proportional 

 to its elasticity in the gaseous state, for the same 

 reason that nitrogen expands when separated 

 from the nitre of gunpowder,. 



Fulminating mercury is composed of oxygen 

 and cyanogen, combined with the protoxide of 

 mercury, in the proportions of 1 atom of each. 



