FORMIC ACID. 153 



Hydrogen . 0-0698 or 0-129 



Carbon . 0-7970 - 1-485 



Oxygen . 1-6164 - 3-0 11 



2-4832 4-623 



In this analysis the hydrogen and oxygen are 

 exceedingly near the truth. There is a slight 

 deficit in the carbon, which, however, amounts 

 only to 1 per cent, 



4*. The experiments of Dobereiner tend strong- 

 ly to confirm the constitution of formic acid as 

 determined by the preceding experiments. He 

 found that, when concentrated sulphuric acid 

 was mixed with formic acid, carbonic oxide gas 

 was extricated ; while the acid became weaker, 

 from an addition of water. Now, it is obvious 

 that, if formic acid be a compound of 1 atom 

 hydrogen, 2 atoms carbon, and 3 atoms oxygen, 

 it may be resolved into water and carbonic 

 oxide ; for, 



HYDROGEN. 



1 atom water consists of 1 atom + 1 atom _|. atom 



2 atoms carbonic oxide ofO- +2- _[. 2 



1 + 3 + 2 



So that 4*625 grains of formic acid may be de- 

 composed into 1-125 grain of water, and 3*5 

 grains of carbonic oxide, equivalent to 11*8 

 cubic inches of carbonic oxide gas. 



5. Dobereiner has made another curious dis- 



16 



