^56 INFLAMMABLE GAS. 



Experiments In these experiments it deserves attention, that, after the 

 and observa- proportion of oxygen employed exceeded a little that of the 

 flammable gas inflammable gas, there remained only a small portion of resi- 

 from peat. dual gas after the detonation, and that the whole of the inflam- 

 mable gas was consumed when the oxygen was to the gas as 

 5 : 3, or in still greater proportions. 



It deserves particular attention, that, in four of these expe- 

 riments, the diminution of bulk is somewhat greater than can 

 be accounted for by the quantity of inflammable gas and oxy- 

 gen consumed. This small difference I ascribed, at first, to 

 errors which had been committed in making the experiments. 

 But after repeating each of them over again three or four 

 times, with every possible precaution, the difference still 

 continued as at first. I am disposed, therefore, to ascribe ft 

 to a small portion of the azote which was present, having com- 

 bined with oxygen, and having formed nitric acid. We know 

 1 that this happens when hydrogen, diluted with azote, is burnt 



with an excess of oxygen. The quantity is extremely small, 

 and cannot materially affect the results : the only exception is 

 the eleventh experiment, which does not correspond very well 

 with the rest. The average of all these experiments gives us 

 nearly 100 measures of oxygen gas consumed by 100 measures 

 of inflammable gas, a proportion which cannot deviate far 

 from the truth. The proportion of carbonic acid formed by 

 the combustion of 100 measures of gas, is only 74.5 measures. 

 But as the experiments were made over water, this proportion 

 is rather too small. On repeating some of them over mercury, 

 I obtained 80.5 measures of carbonic acid gas from 100 mea- 

 sures of inflammable gas consumed. These experiments then 

 gave us the following proportions. 



Gas con- 

 sumed. 



Oxygen 

 consumed. 



Diminuiion 

 of bulk. 



Carbonic 

 acid formed 



100 



100 



120 



80 



10. As the small portions of azote which disappeared in these 

 experiments occasioned some ambiguity, I prepared some pure 

 gas fi-om the hyperoxy muriate of pot-ash. It was composed of 

 95.5 oxygen 

 4.5 azote 



100.0 



Having 



