1896.] A. Fedler — Action of Nitric Oxide on Alkalle.^. ,547 



original volume of the gas, and in no case was the gas absorbed an a 



whole, as would be required if the salt of the new acid were being 



formed. Indeed in all cases, nitrogen monoxide was left, and tiiis hence 



showed that the potassium salt of the new acid was not formed. 



The following will represent two typical experiments of the kind 



made : — 



28th Feb. 1895. (a) A thick combustion tube containing about 11 



grams of freshly prepared soda lime, and approximately 50-4 



c.c. nitric oxide, containing about 3% oi free nitrogen, was 



heated for 6 hours at 100-120° C, 18 hours at 200-210° C and 



one hour at about 320° C. When cold it was opened under 



mercury. The residual gas amounted to 1.5-2 c.c. of which 



about 2"1 c.c. was found to be nitrogen, and the remainder 



nitrogen monoxide, thus — 



50'4 X 8 

 Original vol. of NO ... 50-4 -7-- = 48-9 c.c. 



^ luo 



But as 2'1 c.c. of nitrogen was found at the end of the experiment, 

 therefore 2"1 c.c. — 1*5 c.c. orO'6 c.c. of nitrogen must have been 

 formed by the further decomposition of nitrogen monoxide. 



.-. Vol. of NgO + N formedfrom ^0 = 15-2 cc-l'S c.c. = 13-7 c.c. 



Vol. ofNgO ... 15-2-2-l=:131c.c. 



48-9 -13-7 35-2 , ^^ 



.*. Contraction ... — --■ = — -- = 0-72. 



48-9 48-9 



or 72 per cent, of the gas had been absorbed, while theory requires 75 per 



cent., the remaining 25 per cent, of the volume being nitrogen monoxide. 



5th March, j895. (6) Caustic potash was used and the tube was 



heated for 13 hours to 200° C. Out of 486 c.c, 28-3 c.c. of 



gas remained behind. On treating with a concentrated solution 



of ferrous sulphate only J 4-6 c.c. of what appeared to be pure 



nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen remained. 



^^^ 48-6x3 ,^, 

 Original vol. of nitric oxide ... 486 j^ =47-1 c.c. pure NO. 



Vol. of unacted on nitric oxide ... =28*3 c.c.-14'6 c.c.=^13-7 c.c. 

 .-. Vol. of NO taking part in the 



reaction ... ... 47'] c.c. -13-7 c.c. = 33*4 c.c. 



Vol. of nitrous oxide and nitrogen 



from nitric oxide ... 14-6- l-5 = 131c.c. 



33-4-13-l_ 



Contraction ... — -^^ ^ '^^• 



A contraction of 61 per cent, or nearly two-thirds of the volume. 

 In the second method the action was observed in a silver boat 

 within an open tube heated in a combustion furnace or tube heater. 



