294" NATURE AND DECOMPOSITION OF THE FIXEO ALKALIS. 



and a substance of the same kind was produced, when pieces 



of copper, silver, j:(old, plumbago, or even charcoal wer6 



employed for completinef the circuit. 



Produced in The phenomenon was independent of the presence of aiV; 



iracuo. J found that it took place when the alkali was in the vacuum 



of an exhausted receiver. 

 In a j;:iiss tube The substance was likewise produced from potash fused 

 *°°" .'^'^^°'^^'^ by means of a lamp, in glass tubes confined by mercury, 

 and furnished with hermetically inserted platina wires, by 

 which the electrical action was transmitted. But this ope- 

 ration could not be carried on for any considerable time; 

 the glass was rapidly dissolved by the action of the alkali, 

 and this substance soon penetrated through the body of the 

 tube. 

 Soda not so Soda, when acted upon in the same manner as potash, 



easily decom- exhibited an analogous result; but the decomposition de- 

 manded greater intensity of action in the batteries, or the 

 alkali was required to be in much thinner aad smaller 

 pieces. With the battery of 100 of 6 incnes in full activity 

 I obtained good results from pieces of potash weighing 

 from 40 to 70 grains, ynd of a thickness which made the 

 distance of the electrified metallic surfaces nearly a quarter 

 of an inch; but with a similar power it was impossible to 

 produce the eilects of decompositiou on pieces of soda of 

 "more than 15 or 20 grains in weight, and that only when 

 the distance between the wires was about ^ or -j-V of an 

 inch. 

 Its base solid The substance produced from potash remained fluid at 

 at a lower heat jjjg temperature of the atmosphere at the time of its pro- 

 aiid like Silver. . , , ,. , , • i r. -j • j_i i « 



duction; that from soda, which was fluid m the degree of 



heat of the alkali during its formation, became solid otj 

 tooling, and appeared to have the lustre of silver. 

 Soda some- When the power of ^250 was used with a very high 



times txpluded, charge for the decomposition of soda, the globules ofVeii 

 burnt at the moment of their formation, and sometimes 

 violently exploded and separated into smaller globulesj 

 •which flev/ with great veiociiy through the air in a state of 

 Vivid combustian, producing a btautiful effect of continued 

 jets of firCa 



III 



