MERCURY, 



SECT. VI. 



OF THE ATOMIC WEIGHT OF MERCURY. 



IT has been ascertained by unexceptionable ex- 

 periments, that mercury combines with two 

 doses of oxygen, and forms two oxides. The oxides of 

 protoxide is black, and the peroxide red. The mercury 

 volatility of mercury and its compounds presents 



and the sulphurets : 



protobulphuret of 



bisulphuret of 



pcrsulphuret of 



I atom copper 

 1 atom sulphur 



1 atom copper 



2 atoms sulphur 



8 

 8 



10 



8 

 i 



12 



1 atom copper = 8 

 4 atoms sulphur = 8 



16 



This was the idea I originally formed of these compounds, and it seems to 

 be the one generally adopted by chemists. It was the consideration of the 

 salts of copper that induced me to adopt 4< for the atomic weight of copper ; 

 for, if we represent the atom of copper by 8, all the salts of copper, without 

 exception, will be bisalts, or will contain 2 atoms of acid, united to 1 

 atom of oxide. It was an object of some importance to get rid of this 

 anomaly, which involved the salts of copper in a good deal of confusion. 

 Tlxis was accomplished by adopting 4 for the atomic weight of copper, as 

 had been already done by Dr. Wollaston and Dr. Prout. 

 D d 3 



