Atomic Theory Angus Smith. 365 



nitrogen, but not by so many experiments as with oxygen. 

 I am now assured of a sound foundation for inquiries, 

 which must take their beginning from the results here 

 given. 



' It is found that charcoal absorbs gases in definite 

 volumes, the physical action resembling the chemical. 



1 Calling the volume of hydrogen absorbed i, the volume 

 of oxygen absorbed is 8. That is, whilst hydrogen unites 

 with eight times its weight of oxygen to constitute water, 

 charcoal absorbs eight times more oxygen by volume 

 than it absorbs hydrogen. No relation by volume has 

 been hitherto found the same as the relation by weight. 



'The specific gravity of oxygen being 16 times greater 

 than hydrogen, charcoal absorbs 8 times 16, or 128 times 

 more oxygen by weight than it does hydrogen. This is 

 equal to the specific gravity of oxygen squared and divided 



i6 2 

 by two, , or it is the atomic weight and specific gravity 



multiplied into each other, 16x16, and divided by two, 



' Nitrogen was expected to act in a similar way, but it 

 refused. The average number of the latest inquiry is 4-52, 

 but the difficulty of removing all the nitrogen from charcoal 

 is great, and I suppose the correct number to be 4-66. 

 Taking this one as the weight absorbed, 14 x 4-66=65-24, or 



it is it. Oxygen is a dyad ; nitrogen a triad. 

 o 



' We have then carbonic acid not divided, but simply 22 

 squared = 484. 



' Time is required for full speculation, but the chemist 

 must be surprised at the following : 



