ON OXALIC ACID. QS 



In these experiments the results differ materially from Results diffcf 

 each other, when the proijortioa of oxigen used is small the proportions 

 and when it is great. I am not able at present to account of oxigen. 

 for this difference, whicli holds not only with respect to this 

 gas, but every compound iniiammable gas, which I have 

 examined. This difference makes it impossible to use 

 both extremes of the series : I make choice of that in which 

 the proportion of oxigen is considerable, as upon the whole 

 more satisfactory. The best proportion is one part of the 

 gas and two parts of oxigen. The oxigen ought not to 

 be pure, but diluted with at least the third of its bulk of 

 azote, uuless the gas be much contaminated with common 

 air. 



I have elsewhere detailed tlie method, which I follow in 

 analyzing gasses of this nature*. The following table ex- 

 hibits the mean of a considerable number of trials of this 

 gas with oxigen. 



Measures of Measures of "^ 

 infljuiimable air oxig^-n coii- 

 consuiiied sumed. 



Carbonic acid 

 formed. 



Diminution of 

 bulk. 



100 



91 



93 



98 



Mean result of 

 the combus- 

 tion 



That is to say, 100 cubic inches of the gas, when burnt, 

 combine with yi cubic inches of oxigen ; there are pro- 

 duced ()3 inches of carbonic acid; and after the combustion 

 these C)3 inches alone remain, the rest being condensed. 

 Hence we conclude, that the other substance produced was 

 water. 



This result corresponds almost exactly with what would 

 have been obtained, if we had made the same experiment 

 tipon a mixture of 70 measures of carbonic oxide, and 30 

 measures of carbviretted liidrogen, as will appear from the 

 following table. 



♦ See Journal, vol. XVI, p. 247, 



C irbonic 



