ON Tat DECOMtOSITION OF THE EARTHS. 3g| 



A similar mixture of potash and alumine was experimented Alumine and 

 upon in the same manner, and the results were perfectly ana- -j^ t^e same 

 logons ; there adhered to the rod of platina a film of a me- manner. 

 tallic substance, which rapidly decomposed water, and af- 

 forded a solution which deposited aluruine by the action of 

 an acid. 



I tried sereral forms of this experiment, with the hopes The metal 

 of being able to obtain a sufficient quantity of the metallic <v^ta\iied seoa- 

 matter from the platina, so as to examine it in a separate rate. 

 state; but I was not successful. It was always in superfi- 

 cial scales, which oxidated, becoming white and alkaline, 

 before it covild be detached in the air ; it instantly burnt 

 when heated, and could not be fused under naphtha or oil. 



I tried similar experiments with mixtures of soda and Experiments 

 alumine, and soda and zircone, and used iron as the nega- ^' ^"^ .^'""""'^ , 

 lively electrified metal. In all these cases, during the whole zircone and 

 process of electrization, abundance of globules, which swam ^°' 

 in a state of inflammation on the fused mass, were produced. 

 And in the mixture, when cooled, small laminae of metal were 

 found of the colour of lead, and less fusible than sodium, 

 which adhered to the iron; they acted violently upon water, 

 and produced soda and a white powder, but in quantities 

 too small to be minutely examined. 



I endeavoured to procure an alloy of potassium, andtheTrids to obtain 

 bases of the earths, from mixtures of potash, silex, and alu- treating a/ pot- 

 mine, fused by electricity, and acted on by the positive and ash unsuccess- 

 negative surfaces in the same manner as pure potash, in ex- 

 periments for the decomposition of that substance; but I 

 obtained no good results. When the earths were in quantities 

 equal to one fourth or one fifth of the alkali, they rendered it 

 so highly nonconducting, that it was not easy to aftect it by 

 electricity, and when they were in very minute portions, 

 the substance produced had the characters of pure potas- 

 sium. 



I heated small globules of potassium, in contact with si- Potassium heat- 

 lex and alumine, in tubes of pi ^teglasS filled with the vapour f' ,^";^ *'/^^. 

 7 tr o r ana alumine m, 



of naphtha: the potassium seemed to act at the same time vapour of 

 upon the glass and the earths, and a grayish opaque mass, "^P^^^*- 

 not possessed of metallic splendour, was obtained, whidi 

 effervesced in water, depositing white clouds. Here it was 

 2 possible 



