^^4f CONDENSED GASES. 



niivered h pieces with a violent explofion, after I had fk it 

 afide to fee the effedl of time upon the comprefled gas. 

 Nitrogf-n and Experiment 9. U^jwards of a pint of nitrogen was con- 



farboncon?°^ ^'cnfcd, and upon this I pumped one pint of gafeous oxide 

 denfed, gave ^f Carbon, Thc colour of Ihe nitrogen was deftroyed ; 

 mtrousacid,&c. nitrous acid was formed; and upon colleaing the liberated 

 gafeous o.ade, it biirjU not unlike alcohol. The two gafes 

 togedier were at firft highly ejaftic. 

 Explofions «t- From (he facility with which nitrogen becomes united 

 nitrogen.'*^ ^"^ ^'^^'^ '" various bodies, and from its expanfive force 

 when liberated from that ftate, I know not whether I am 

 lufhciently warranted in fuggefting an opinion, that the 

 expiofive force of various compounds may in a great meafure 

 be attributed to the fudden liberation of this fixed gas. To 

 this caufe I partly attribute the fulminating filver of Berthollet; 

 the fulminating gold, and various nitrates,- and the deto- 

 nation which accompanies the decompofition of ammoniac 

 by oxigenated muriatic acid gas. 

 Attempt to fire Exp. 10. Having been unfuccefsful in my endeavours to 

 condenitraS '"^a^"^ phofphorus by the compreffion of atmofpheric air, 

 {iee Exp. 4.) I now tried oxigen, but with little better effefi. 

 The phofphorus appeared to be foraewhat difcoloured, and 

 I thought had a tendency to liquify, as it does when put 

 upon a heated plate of iron. Indeed I have no doubt that 

 lome heat is generated by the condenfation of air, fince thc 

 thermometer rifes upon external application to the receiver. 

 Oxigenated Exp. U. Upon the compreffion of nearly two pints of 



*^s"avl'^a^^*'^ ®>i»g<^naled muriatic acid gas in a receiver two and a quarter 

 yellow and cubic inches capacity, it fpeedily became converted into a 



highly volatile yellow fuid, of fuch extreme volatility under the common 



fluid by conden- ^ ^ . ^ , , . -' . 



Cation. prelJure of the atmolphere, that it mftantly evaporates upon 



opening the fcrew of the receiver. I need not add, that this 

 fluid, fo highly concentrated, is of a mod infupportable 

 pungency. When atmofpheric air was pumped into the 

 empty receiver, it was fpeedily filled with denfe white fumes. 

 There was a trifling refidue of a yellowiQi fub fiance left after 

 the evaporation, which probably arole from a fmall portion of 

 the oil and greafe ufed in the machine, mixed with fome 

 of the concentrated gas ; it yielded to fulphurjc ether, and 

 deftroyed vegetable colours. 



This 



