258 FIXED ALKALIES AND ALKALINE EARTHS. 



Potassium 100 or 4-9068 

 Oxygen 20-38 - 1 



5-9068 



The atom of potassium, by the first experiment, 

 weighs 5-121 ; by the second 4-9068. The mean 

 of the two is 5-0139; which approaches much 

 nearer the truth than either of the experiments 

 taken singly. 



SECT. II. 



OF THE ATOMIC WEIGHTS OF SODA AND SODIUM. 



THE atomic weight of soda may be determined 

 with the same precision, and nearly in the same 

 manner, as the atomic weight of potash. 



1. Sulphate of soda is a well known trans- 



ptrteof SU ~ parent salt, which crystallizes with great facility. 



soda. gy a care f u i analysis of this salt I find its con- 

 stituents as follows * 



1 atom sulphuric acid 5 

 1 atom soda . 4 



10 atoms water 11-25 



20-25 



The water of crystallization is not always exactly 

 the same. I have found it amount to 11-28, 

 which exceeds the true atomic quantity by 0-03 



