different mix* 

 tures. 



NEW METHOD OF ANALYSING AMMONIA. gf J 



Nitrous gas, which, it appears from your testimony *, Proportions for 

 docs not compose an inflammable mixture with hidrogen, ^ i " t " al salur " 

 (nor, as I am assured by Mr Datton, with any of the va- 

 rietiesv of carburetted hidrogen) may be employed, I find 

 for the combustion of ammonia. The proportions required 

 for mutual saturation are about 120 measures of nitrous gas 

 to 100 of ammonia. An excess of the former gas does not 

 give accurate results; since not only the hidrogen of the 

 ammonia, but some of its nitrogen is also condensed ; and the 

 mixture, after being fired, exhibits the cloudy appearance 

 u sual in that case. 



Forty-eighr measures of ammonia, being fired with 60 Results of 

 nitrous gas, (= 53 pure) both gasses were completely de- 

 composed; and a residue left consisting of 61 nitrogen and 

 9 hidrogen. Sixty measures of ammonia and 41 nitrous gas 

 (~ 36-1 pure) gave, after firing, a mixture composed of 10 

 ammonia, 53| nitrogen, and 30f hidrogen. But taking for 

 granted that 100 measures of nitrous gas, according to your 

 analysis, hold in combination a quantity of oxigen equal to 

 b7\ measures of oxigen gas, and of nitrogen equal to 48f 

 measures; and assuming the proportions of the nitrogen 

 and hidrogen in ammonia, to be those estabjished by your 

 experiments and my own: it will appear from an easy 

 calculation, that the proportion of nitrogen, in the above 

 residua, a little exceeds, and that of the hidrogen rather 

 falls short of what might have been expected. I have not 

 yet been able to reconcile these differences by the numerous 

 trials required in a process of so much delicacy; and I re- 

 serve the inquiry for a season of more leisure. The fore- 

 going statement I wish to be considered as merely announcing 

 the general fact of the combustibility of a mixture of ammo- 

 nia and nitrous gas, a property which chiefly derives im- 

 portance from its being capable of application to a new 

 method of analysing the latter. 



Before concluding this letter, I shall briefly state the re- Effects of 



suits of some experiments, which I have lately made in con- electricity on. 



r > J aenform com- 



junction with Mr. Dalton, on a subject that formerly oc- pounds of car- 



* Researches, p. 136. 



2 B % cupied 



