J5 EliECTltiCAl LXPERIMEXTS; 



Mitriatc df ammonia affords a purple spark, and is liiriiu 

 nous by the explosion. 



Succinate of ammonia is luminous when the shock is passed 

 above it, and is readily dispersed in luminous particles when 

 the rods are placed in contact with it. 



Acids. 

 ■Acids. Sulphuric, nitric, muriatic, phosphoric and acetous acids 



are not luminous. 



Nitric acid affords only a hissing stream instead of a spark. 

 It is extremely phosphorescent with the explosion made 

 above it, shining with a greenish light ; and when the shock 

 is passed through a lump of crystals it is fractured into nu- 

 merous phosphoric pieces* It is rendered luminous merely 

 by taking sparks from the conductor in its vicinity. 



Roracic acid is next in phosphorescency to the citric. 



Benzoic acid is almost equally luminous with the boracic. 



Tartaric acid affords a hissing stream instead of a spark. 

 It is luminous by the shock, but not quite so phosphoric as 

 the benzoic acid. 



Oxalic acid is also luminous by the explosion, but less so 

 than any of the crystal lizable acids here mentioned. 



Arsenious acid gives no spark, but allows the fluid to pass 

 freely over its surface from the conductor to a considerable 

 distance, giving the sensation of a shock when held in the 

 hand; but when placed upon the conductor and the knob 

 of the discharger rests upon its surface, the spark proceed? 

 from the conductor to the discharger, through the substance 

 of the acid, rendering it semi-transparent. It is vcryphos- 

 phorescent with a white light, when the explosion is made 

 above its surface; but when the points of the rods rest upon 

 it, the light is yellow tinged with green. 



Metallic Salts. 

 Metallic salts. Nitrate of silver, commonly called lunar caustic, does 

 not give a spark, neither is it luminous by the electric Iigb.1 

 Sulphate of mercury, called turpeth mineral, and white 

 crystallized nitrate of mercury are not luminous. 



Howard's fulminating mercury is not phosphorescent by- 

 passing the shock above it; but when a grain or two ofthia 



sail 



