148 COMBUSTIBLE ACIDS. 



The second column, exhibiting the proportion of 

 the constituents in 13 of the acid, which is the 

 atomic weight, approaches nearest to 



4 atoms hydrogen . . 0-5 

 6 atoms carbon . 4-5 



8 atoms oxygen . . 8-0 



13-0 



The greatest deviation is in the hydrogen, which 

 is about ith part too high, while the carbon is 

 rather more than Jjth part too low. The pro- 

 portion of oxygen is almost exact. 



Berzelius analyzed, likewise, 0*333 parts of 

 saclactic acid in the same way. He obtained 

 0*149 of water, equivalent to 0*01655 hydrogen ; 

 and 0*393 carbonic acid, equivalent to 0*10718 

 carbon.* Hence, the constituents of the acid, 

 according to this analysis, are 



Hydrogen . 0-01655 or 0-64 



Carbon 0-10718 4-18 



Oxygen . . 0-20960 - 8-18 



0-33333 13-00 



We perceive, from the second column exhibiting 

 the proportion of the constituents in 13 parts, or 

 an atom of the acid, that the proportion, both of 

 hydrogen and oxygen, is greater in this analysis 

 than in the preceding. No doubt, the reason 



* Annals of Philosophy, V. 180. ' 



