132 THE SPIRIT OF THE SOIL 



ing the Carbon altogether from the molecule, the 

 group splitting, leaving the O H to link on to 



another carbon, and forming Q^C (CO 2 ). Thus 



Formic acid arid Oxygen will yield C0 2 and water : 



/> O 



H C\ # 



NDH+O=C + H OH 



Formic Acid. ^^ 



O 



By adding Hydrogen to an organic compound its 

 constitution may be profoundly modified. Thus, the 



C H group referred to above may, under the 



II 



O 



influence of nascent Hydrogen, be changed into an 

 alcohol, thus : 



O-H+aH > H C H 



O O Hj 



or, to give an actual equation : 

 H 



U 



Ethyl Alcohol. 



Another reaction of considerable importance in 

 connection with organic decomposition is concerned 

 with Ammonia. The Nitrogen contained in protein 

 molecules is frequently given off during decompo- 

 sition in the form of Ammonia, and acids present in 



