FIXED ALKALIES AND ALKALINE EARTHS. 



in the state of a white powder. The liquid, after 

 it had recovered its transparency from the com- 

 plete subsidence of this precipitate, was tested 

 by sulphate of soda and muriate of barytes ; but 

 neither of theSe reagents produced the least 

 muddiness or opalescence, showing that the 

 liquid contained neither barytes nor sulphuric 

 acid. From this experiment it is evident, that 

 the sulphuric acid in 11 grains of sulphate of 

 potash, just saturates the barytes from 13*25 

 grains of chloride of barium. Consequently, it 

 amounts to exactly 5 grains. So that sulphate 

 of potash must be a compound of 



Sulphuric acid 5 

 Potash . . 6 



11 



Atomic g u f- s i nce the salt is neutral, and since 5 is the 



weight ot 



potash. weight of an integrant particle of sulphuric acid, 

 it is plain that 6 must be the weight of an inte- 

 grant particle of potash. 



,L potas ~ 3. The atomic weight of potash being known, 

 it is easy from the experiments made on potas- 

 sium to determine the atomic weight of that 

 metal. From the experiments of Gay-Lussac 

 and Thenard, it appears that when 100 grains of 

 potassium are put into water, the metal combines 

 with the oxygen of that liquid, and is converted 

 into potash, while the hydrogen gas evolved 



siura. 



