80 CHLORINE AND IODINE. 



36 = 2-5. The atomic weight of hydrogen is 

 0-125. Consequently that of chlorine is 0-125 X 

 36 = 4-5. 



It is obvious too, that the volume of chlorine 

 gas bears the same relation to the atom of chlo- 

 rine that the volume of hydrogen gas does to the 

 atom of hydrogen. If, therefore, we may substi- 

 tute a volume of hydrogen gas for an atom, we 

 may, in like manner, substitute the volume of 

 chlorine gas for the atom of chlorine. 



-^ -^ * s easv t show by simple and decisive 

 chloride of experiments, that 4-5 is the true atomic weight 

 of chlorine. Of these, it may be worth while to 

 state one or two in this place. 



1. An atom of copper, as will appear here- 

 after, weighs 4 ; an integrant particle of sub- 

 oxide of copper weighs 9 ; and an integrant 

 particle of black oxide, 5. Each of these oxides 

 combines with muriatic acid. The protomuriate 

 of copper is white, and the permuriate green. 

 Both of these muriates crystallize, and both con- 

 tain water of crystallization. When the mu- 

 riates of copper are heated without the contact 

 of air, they not only lose their water of crystalli- 

 zation ; but the oxide of copper, and the muria- 

 tic acid lose respectively, the oxygen and the 

 hydrogen which they contain. These two con- 

 stituents unite together, and make their escape 

 in the form of water, leaving behind a com- 

 pound of chlorine and copper. In the suboxide 



