MURIATES AND CHLORIDES. 



The water, amounting to rather less than ith of 

 an atom, can only be mechanically interposed 

 between the plates of the crystals, and not in 

 chemical combination. 



Similar experiments were made with common 

 salt with exactly the same result. 



Hence, the crystals of both these salts are 

 chlorides of potassium and sodium, with a little 

 water lodged mechanically between their plates. 

 No crystallized muriate of potash or soda exists. 



3. Muriate of barytes. This salt usually crys- Muriate 

 tallizes in tables consisting of very short four- 

 sided prisms with square bases. It is not altered 

 by exposure to the air, and is composed of 



1 atom muriatic acid 



1 atom barytes 9'750 



1 atom water 1-125 



15-5 



When 15*5 of this salt are heated to redness in 

 a platinum crucible, the loss of weight amounts 

 to 2*25, equivalent to two atoms of water, and 

 chloride of barium remains weighing 13'5, and and de- 

 composed of 



1 atom chlorine 4-5 



1 atom barium 8 '75 



13-25 



We may either consider the crystals as composed 



OS 



