INFLAMMABLE GAS. 2^5 



or, per cent. 44 oxygen Experiments 



42.4 carbon - ^nd observa- 



, „ „ , J tions on the in- 



13.6 hydrogen flammable gas 



from peaU 



100.0 

 As this gas contains three constituents, we may give it the 

 provisional nanve of oxycarbureted hydrogen, till future ex- 

 periments determine whether it be a mixture or a chemical 

 compound. 



13. The gas employed in the preceding experiments, 

 though its specific gravity varied a little, was, however, pretty 

 nearly uniform in that respect. But, in the course of my ex- 

 periments on peat, I obtained portions of inflammable gas 

 which differed very much, both in their specific gravity and in 

 their other properties, from the gas which we have just exa- 

 mined. I select the following experiments as the most striking 

 that occurred. 



The peat was distilled slowly in a small iron bottle. The 

 gas which came over was received »n two different jars. The 

 first portion that came over was ff -und to be a mixture of 

 75 inf.ammablegas 

 25 common air 



100 

 Its specific gravity was only '7274; which gives for the 

 specific gravity of the pure inflammable peat 0.6365. Hence^ 

 TOO cubic inches of it, at 60", weigh only 19.73 grains. 



The second portion which came over was found to be a mix- 

 ture of 



71.7 inflammable gas 

 18.3 common air 



100 



Its specific gravity was 0.6883, which gives us, for the spe- 

 cific gravity of the pure inflammable portion 0.6082. Thus 

 the two portions of gas differed from each other in their speci- 

 fic gravity, and both of them were much lighter than the gas 

 previously examined. Indeed, they approached very nearly 

 to the specific gravity of pure carbureted hydrogen. 



With the first portion of inflammable gas thus obtained, I 

 made ihe following experiments. The oxygen used contained 

 AfsS per cent, of azote, 



From ' 



