370 NEW METHOD OF ANALYSING AMMONIA. 



tion of undecomposed oxide, some oxigen gas, and a con- 

 siderable quantity of nitrogen, the last of which, however, 

 is not in its full proportion. When the nitrous oxide is 

 farther increased, still mose oxigen is found in the residuum. 

 When, on the contrary, the alkaline gas is redundant, 

 combustion does not take place, unless the nitrous oxide 

 forms one third of the mixture. A little diminution takes 

 place ou firing, but no cloudiness is observed; and the re- 

 sidue is composed of hidrogen and nitrogen gasses, with, 

 occasionally a small portion of undecomposed ammonia. 

 As an example of what takes place, I select the following 

 experiment from several others. 

 Results of an A mixture of 41 measures of ammonia with 40 of nitrous 



experiment. ox j de ^_ 3g p Ure ) ? j n a n 81 meaS ures, were reduced by 

 combustion to 75, which were found to consist of 16 

 Explanation of hidrogen and 59 nitrogen gasses. To explain this experiment, 

 It# we may assume (as is consistent with your own analysis*) 



that 100 measures of nitrous oxide are equivalent to 52 

 measures of oxigen gas and 103 of nitrogen. The oxigen in 

 38 measures of nitrous oxide will, therefore be 19*7, to 

 which, when the oxigen spent in burning the residuum 

 (viz. 8 m.) is added, we obtain 27*7 for the total oxigen 

 consumed; and multiplying by 2, we have 55*4 for the 

 hidrogen saturated. From the residuary nitrogen (59) de- 

 duct 39 measures arising from the decomposition of the ni- 

 trous oxide + 2 m. mingled with it as an impurity = 41, 

 and the remainder, 18 measures, is the nitrogen resulting 

 from the volatile alkali; and as 41 measures of ammonia 

 give 55*4 -J- 18 = 73-4 measures of permanent gas, 100 

 would give 179 measures, in which the hidrogen and nitrogen 

 would exi6t in the proportion of 75-4 to 24*6. From the 

 same facts it may be deduced, that 100 measures of ammonia 

 require for saturation 130 of nitrous oxide = 67 j oxigen 

 Confirms the gas. The coincidence then, between the results of the com- 

 former analysis, bustion of ammonia with nitrous oxide, and those with 

 oxigen gas, confirms the accuracy of both methods of an- 

 alysis. 



* Researches, Res. ii, Div. 1, or Thomson's System of Che- 

 mistry, 3d. edit, ii, 143. 



Nitrous 



