ACTION OF OX1MUIUATIC ACI.., G ; ov ALKALIS. <2$Q 



phial, without water, received the gas before it readied the 

 porcelain tube ; and the other extremity of the tube com- 

 municated with a paeumato-ehemical apparatus. 



The moment the oximariatic acid gad had reached the Aqueous va- 

 potash, a great deal or' water passed iu;o the jar in vapour [Xtheiftlx?" 

 not easily- condensed. When condensed they hit behind muriatic acid 

 carbonic acid gas. Some time after oximuriutic acid gas ^"jg^J 1 each' 

 was perceived in the jar. On examining it a copious pre- mixed with 



• i . i ^ • i vi t 11 carbonic acid. 



cipitate was obtained with lime water and barvtes water, 



but it was necessary to employ them in excess. Toward 

 the end of the process no more oxi muriatic acid gas passed 

 over, but a mixture of oxigen and carbonic acid gas. 



Carbonic acid gas therefore wr.s disengaged during the 

 whole course of the operation, taking place at its three dif- 

 ferent periods; first with the water in vapour; secondly 

 with the oximuriatic acid gas; and thirdly with the oxigen 

 gas. All these gasses were cloudy, and did "not become 

 transparent till the water was deposited. 



The quantity of carbonic acid gas, collected and sepa- T ' ,f > mil °h ca » 

 , i i , ', •! i , ,. • i bonic aci'l to 



rated, appeared to us too great to be ascribed to the acid, h ., ve j )e( . n re _ 



that the potash retains. Besides, we employed an alkali tained in ihe 



we had carefully purified; and the acid it could contain,™ ' 



for whatever precaution is tirken it cannot be perfectly freed 



from it, was only to be detected by barytes water, which 



gave only a slight cloud, scarcely perceptible. 



We have not however any design, still less the presump- Probably the 

 tion, to attempt to establish or determine the principles °f earboi^andl'i- 

 potash : though from this experiment we might be tempted diogen. 

 to suppose, that hidrogen and carbon exist in this alkali in 

 certain proportions. 



In the porcelain tube we found muriate of potash in thin Muriate of pot- 

 white laminoe but slightly adherent. Some of them were J^^^j^j 

 liitged of a light green. The weight of this salt was much than the alkaH 

 inferior to that of the potash employed. employed. 



It follows then, that all these experiments, if of little 

 importance in themselves, may lead us to examine with more 

 attention the chauges, that take place in substances, when 

 placed in contact with others at temperatures more or less, 

 elevated. 



Vol. XXIV.— Dec. 1809. U The 



