Scientific Intelligence. 265 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



again issues 



I. Chemistry and Physics. 



1. On Ozone; by M. Berzelius, (Berzelius's Jahresbericht, xxvi; 

 Chem. Gazette, 109, p. 71.)— After detailing the results of Marignac's 

 experiments in thirteen propositions, M. Berzelius goes on to say, 

 "From these experiments Marignac has drawn the conclusion that 

 ozone is most probably a peculiar modification of oxygen; but con- 

 sidering the circumstance that it is not produced by absolutely dry 

 gases, he has left it undecided whether it may not perhaps contain 

 some hydrogen. 



Ihe last uncertainty, however, has been removed by an experiment 

 of Ue la Rive. Chlorate of potash is fused to remove all moisture, 

 and then a slow current of dry oxygen disengaged from it ; this is 

 passed through a glass tube of about one line internal diameter, into 

 which two pieces of platinum wire have been fused, so that they are a 

 small distance from an3 opposite to each other. Now when a current 

 oi electricity is conveyed to the earth through the wires of the con- 

 uctor of an electrical machine in action, a succession of sparks results 

 between the wires, and the oxygen is thereby converted into ozone, 

 which is recognized by its powerful odor and its reactions, especially 

 Wards iodide of potassium and starch, which is most readily observed. 



s soon as the electric current ceases, unaltered oxygen 

 torn the tube. 



1 We have thus arrived at the highly important result, that ozone is 

 J!° P ec uliar element, and likewise that it is not an unknown combina- 

 A ?? °f known elements, but that it is oxygen in a different allotropic con- 

 as, as this is contained in the atmos- 

 experiments. Our knowledge of the 

 ssimilar allotropic states of the elementary substances has thus ob- 

 amed an unexpected and highly remarkable addition. In accordance 

 * ,l n the other elements, we may represent it by the symbols O and 

 ^ • Oa is distinguished from 05 by its odor, and by the tendency it 

 a s to form combinations in circumstances under which the latter is 

 perfectly inactive, similar to what likewise occurs with other elements, 

 nether these modifications are preserved in the combination or only 

 ne of these states, and which belongs to the oxygen in combination, 

 re questions which still remain to be answered. We have seen that 

 e Metrical spark converts a certain quantity of 0^ (probably corres- 



ex I ! - ng t0 lhe ca P acit y of the spark) into 0«, and this satisfactorily 

 ^PJams the electric odor. We have, moreover, learned that those 



le s which become oxydized at low temperatures, for instance phos- 

 ^ ™s, are likewise capable of producing a change, but that in this 

 as ? l i le presence of another gas besides oxygen is absolutely requisite, 



parogen, nitrogen, or carbonic acid; but whether these gases take 



yeu UVe Part ' or remain passive and merely dilute the oxygen, is not 

 L kn °wn. 1 may ca |j to min( j t he effects of phosphorus upon oxygen 



g ere ^refaction under the air-pump, which have not yet been 



* Co *d Ser,^ vol. IV, No. 11— Sept., 1847. 34 



d Jion, from the ordinary oxygen g 

 P?ere or obtained in chemical e; 



dissimilar olL + • _._.__ _r .i. 



