406 SALTS 



cible, lost 0*201 grain of water. This is some- 

 what less than jth of an atom, and was doubt- 

 less lodged mechanically between the plates of 

 the crystals. The constituents of nitrate of sil- 

 ver are 



1 atom nitric acid . 6*75 



1 atom oxide of silver . 14'75 



21-5 



Sulphate, % t Sulphate of silver. 1 obtained this salt 

 both by digesting sulphuric acid over oxide of 

 silver, and by mixing together concentrated so- 

 lutions of nitrate of silver and sulphate of soda. 

 The salt falls in the state of a white powder, 

 which may be dissolved in about 88 times its 

 weight of boiling water. When the solution 

 cools the salt is partly deposited in the state of 

 small needles. This salt has the peculiarly disa- 

 greeable taste which characterizes all the soluble 

 salts of silver. Sulphate of silver melts when 

 exposed to a moderate heat ; and if the tempe- 

 rature be raised, the oxide is reduced to the me- 

 tallic state. The salt is anhydrous ; for, 19 '82 

 grains of it, being heated on the sand bath till it 

 became yellow, and consequently till it began to 

 be decomposed, lost OO7 grain of its weight. 

 Now, this quantity, supposing it all water, would 

 amount only to rather less than T Vth of an atom. 

 The constituents of the salt are 



