88 



ON OXALIC ACID. 



ferent bases already detei iuined*, it appears, that the weight 



of an !;:t grant p.irticle of oxalic acid must be represented 



by the number 39-5. 



Integrant par- ]Sow, wliat number of atoms of oj^igen, carbon, and hi- 

 ticJe of oxaiic , ^ ^^ - ■ ^ ^ if. .■ • , ^ 



^pjjj^ drogen, go to constitute an mtegrant pBiticle 01 oxalic acid ? 



We i'i'v:^ assigned the relative weights of each of these 

 atoins, a:id we have ascertained the relative propo.tions of 

 the I'espective elements of oxabc acid. From these data it 

 Ts easy to solve the inobiem. An integrant particle of oxa- 

 lic acid consists of 9 dioms combined together, namely, 4 

 atoms of oxigen, 3 of carbon, and 2 of hidrogen. 



4 at uis of oxigen weigh. ♦••••4X6 — 24 



3 atoms of carbon 3 X 4'5 iz 13*5" 



2 atoms of hidrogen •••2X1 ~ 2 



Total. •••••• 39-5 



v/hich together make up the weight of an integrant particle 

 of oxalic acid. 

 Component Accoruing to these proportions, 100 parts of oxalic acid if 



»o this. Oxigen 6l 



Carbon. 34 



Hidrogen 5 



100 



numbers which do no|t indeed exactly correspond with the 

 result of the preceding analysis, but which approach suffi- 

 ciently near it, to give the reasoning employed considerable 

 probability at least, if it does not lead to certainty. 

 Decmoposition We may now examine the decomposition which takes 

 of oxalate of place, when oxalate of lime is exposed to heat. l.et an 



lime by heat r-- r '".' 



explained. atom of oxigen be w, an atom of carbon c, and an atom of 

 nidrogen, h. An integrant particle of oxalic acid may be 

 r.epresented by 4 w + 3 c + 2 A. We niay represent the 

 com [;<".>' t'lon and weight of an integrant particle of each of 

 the substances into which oxalic acid is decomposed by 

 iieat, by ti e : >liowing symbols and numbers: 



* Fo; these we ' ts, and the method of determining them, I refer the 

 reader to my System of C^ em] vy .. d Edi 1, III, 619. The numibejfs 

 which I have t;.eie a.-si^ned are, i am i-ersuaded, rather too low. 



Carbonic 



