NATURE AND DECOMPOSITION OP THE FIXED ALKALIS. 3Q7 



about 1-20° Fahrenheit, and it is a perfect fluid at about 

 160°, so that it readily fuses under boiliritr naphtha. 

 , I have not j'et been able to ascertain at what de.qjree of ^'^^ family yo» 

 heat it is volatile ; but it reuiains fixed in a state of ignition ^ ' '^* ' 

 at the point of fusion of plate glass. 



The chemical phenomena pro^iuced by the basis of soda Its pronerties 

 are analoj^oua to those produced by the basis of potash ; ^""Io^oik to 

 but with bucn characteristic differeuces as might be well ex- bi^rof potash. 

 pected. 



- When the basis of soda is exposed to the atmosphere, it Action of the 

 unmediately tarnishes, and by de^.ees becomes cove ed with ^"^ *^" ^'* 

 a white crust, which delit|ue>ces much more slowly than the 

 substance which forms on the basis of potash. It proves, 

 on minute examination, to be pure soda. 



The basij of soda combines with oxigen slowly, and with- Qf oxigen, 

 out any luminous appearance, at all common temperatures; 

 and when heated, this combination becomts more rapid; but 

 no light is emitted, till it has acquired a temperature near 

 that of ignition. 



The flame that it produces in oxigen gas is white, and it 

 gends forth bright sparks, occasioning a very beautiful ef- 

 fert ; ill common air, it burns with light of the colour of 

 that produced during the combustion of charcoal, but much 

 brighter. 



l^he basis of soda when heated in hidrogen, seemed to Of hidrogen. 

 have no action upon it. When introduced into OKimuiiatic ofoximuriatic 

 acid gas, it burnt vividly with numerous scintiVations of a ^cid gas. 

 bright red colour. Saline matter was formed in this com- 

 bustion, which, ar. might have been expected, proved to be 

 muriate of soda. 



Its operation upon water offers most satisfactory evidence Of water, 

 of its nature. When thrown upon this fluid, it produces a 

 violent effervescence, with a loud hissing noise; it combines 

 with the ovigen of the v/ater to fortn soda, which is dissolved, 

 and its h'-di ogen is disengaged. In this operation there is no 

 luminous appearance; and it seems probable, that even in 

 the nascent state hidrogen is capable of combining with it*. 



When the basis of soda is thrown into hot water, the de- of hofwitei. 



* The more volatile metals only seem capable of uniting with hidro- 

 gen ; a circumstance presenting an analogy. 



' . X2 compositiou 



