22 HYDROGEN CAUSES MALLEABILITY OF METALS. 



ganese, and a new salt, super manganesate of potash, which 

 is the compound that exhibits the RE D-coloured solution. 



" It contains halfsis much more oxygen, twice as much man- 

 ganese, the quantity of potassium remaining the same." See 

 Griffin's Chemical Recreations, page 184. 



The blue (hydrogen) ray is the most refrangible, most dis- 

 tended, and consequently of least density ; which is (by ana- 

 logy) to the red ray, as 1 to 16 ; to the yellow ray, as 1 to 14 ; 

 or, in similar ratio, as hydrogen to oxygen and nitrogen ; and 

 is, therefore, the COOLEST portion of the spectrum from its 

 comparative reduction of pressure. 



The hydrogenating power of the Hue, purple, and violet por- 

 tions of the spectrum, lias been proved by Davy, Hitter, Ber- 

 tholet, &c. ; and their magnetic power by Moreschini. 



Hydrogen is (as is termed) combustible, but burns with a 

 very faint light (in the day-light scarcely visible}, mixed with 

 oxygen : on being inflamed it explodes, and combining, pro- 

 duces water, as discovered by Cavendish and confirmed by 

 successive philosophers, as is at present perfectly familiar 

 to us. 



The specific gravity of hydrogen is .0625 oxygen being 

 1,000, or 0.25 oxygen being 4.0 according to Griffin, which 

 appears a preferable scale for comparative densities. 



Hydrogen forms, notwithstanding its levity, a ninth part or 

 all ivatcr, and is an important ingredient in a vast number of 

 chemical compounds, of great energy. 



It is an essential constituent in all bodies of the animal, 

 vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. 



In addition to the liict, that there cannot exist any liquid 

 without the presence of hydrogen, neither can there be (as here 

 presumed) any metal possessing malleability without ^6* being 

 an identified constituent, and in excess above the equivalent 

 proportion of oxygen. When, however, oxygen gains the 

 predominancy, the metal becomes an oxide (eartJi) ; or if a 

 liquid, an acid. 



