100 POLARITY OF INFLAMMABLES AND INCOMBUSTIBLES. 



oxygen to submit to opposite electrical influences at the same 

 moment ? 



It is possible that one atom of oxygen being united by its 

 negative pole to the positive pole of an atom of carbon form- 

 ing carbonic oxide, which compound atom may unite with the 

 positive pole of another molecule of oxygen, exhibiting there- 

 fore, inappropriate polarity, in the latter instance to permit 

 transition. 



There is a circumstance favorable to such an order of com- 

 bination ; \vhen carbonic acid gas is placed in contact with 

 charcoal, and heat is applied, it loses one portion of its oxygen, 

 and becomes carbonic oxide, which is capable of combustion 

 in atmospheric air, and burns with a purplish-Hue flame. 

 Now, if we suppose the preferable pole of combination of the 

 carbon is the positive, the atom of oxygen would have its nega- 

 tive pole combined, and its positive at liberty to unite with 

 hydrogen and nitrogen, in the regular order for the production 

 of light ; and this is fully borne out by the facts exhibited 

 with regard to polarity under the agency of the Voltaic 

 battery. 



This appears however certain, that bodies so constituted, 

 that their poles appropriate to the formation of light are not 

 on the surfaces, but at the centre of their compound atoms, must, 

 to enable them to undergo transition to the radiant state, be 

 first resolved into their original elements by separation of their 

 molecules, and that in bodies termed inflammable, there are 

 facilities afforded as to the needful changes in polarity, which 

 are not to be found in other fixed matter termed incombustible. 

 The form of matter in the elastic or gaseous state, we may 

 conclude is spherical. The atoms or particles, when homo- 

 geneous, preserve their globular shape, having positive arid ne- 

 gative poles at opposite points on their spherical surface. 



When combined in the ratio of, for instance, of one atom of 

 oxygen with one atom of hydrogen, the positive pole of one unites 

 with the negative pole of the other, and from the attraction of 



