186 SULPHURETS. 



redness, he passed a current of hydrogen gas 

 over it as long as water continued to be formed. 

 By this process, both the acid and base were 

 deprived of their oxygen, and there remained a 

 sulphuret of potassium composed of 



1 atom sulphur 2 



1 atom potassium 5 



It had a deep red colour, fused at a temperature 

 below redness, and dissolved in water forming a 

 coloured solution. 



By substituting sulphuretted hydrogen gas 

 instead of hydrogen, and repeating the process 

 in the same way, he obtained a compound of 



Potassium 5 



Sulphur 7-21 



5 is an atom of potassium, and 7*^1 is somewhat 

 less than 4 atoms of sulphur. 



When the experiment was repeated, substitut- 

 ing bisulphuret of carbon, the sulphuret was 

 composed of 



Potassium 5 

 Sulphur 8'42 



These compounds are not quite definite. 



By fusing carbonate of potash and sulphur to- 

 gether in various proportions, Berzelius obtained 

 several other compounds of potassium and sul- 



