NEW METHOD OF ANALYSING AMMONIA. 37g 



sition of charcoal on the inner surface of the glass tube, too 

 distinct to be at all equivocal, and most abundant from the 

 defiant gas. No addition whatsoever of nitrogen was made 

 by the electrization. It appears, therefore, that the hidro- 

 carburetted gasses, like ammonia, are separated by electri- 

 zation into their element, the carbon being precipitated, and 

 the hidrogen evolved in a separate form, and acquiring a 

 state of greater expansion. This change, however, is 

 eifected much more slowly, than the disunion of the ele- 

 ments of ammonia. 



From a portion of carbonic acid gas, carefully dried by Carbonic acid 

 muriate of lime, and electrized with platina conductors, we8 as « 

 obtained, after removing the undecomposed gas by caustic 

 potash, a residuum equal to about one twentieth of the 

 whole gas which had been employed. It was found on ana- 

 lysis to consist of oxigen and carbonic oxide gasses, in such 

 proportions as to inflame on passing 'an electric spark 

 through it without any addition, and to be thus convertible 

 again into carbonic acid. In the experiments of Mr. Saus- 

 sure, jun. #, that ingenious philosopher obtained only car- 

 bonic oxide by the same operation, owing doubtless to the 

 electricity having been conveyed by conductors of copper, 

 which would become oxidized, and prevent the oxigen from 

 being evolved in a separate form. 



Carbonic oxide, electrified with similar precautions, did Carbonic oxide 

 not appear to undergo any change. Eleven hundred dis- not ^ecom- 

 charges from a Leyden jar had no effect on a quantity of 

 the gas, equal to about one tenth of a cubic inch. Its bulk, 

 after this process, was unaltered ; no carbonic acid could be 

 discovered in it ; and there was no decided trace of oxigen 

 gas in the residuum. The carbon, it appears, therefore, 

 which exists in carbonic oxide, must be held combined by 

 an extremely strong affinity. 



With sincere esteem and respect, I am, 

 * Dear Sir, 



Your faithful and obliged friend, 



Wm. HENRY. 



* Journal de Physique, Tom, LIV, p. 450. 



YI. Observations 



