CHEMICAL THEORY ILLUSTRATED BY NEW FACTS. 1^ 



to the idea, that the presence of hidrogen is essential to the 

 production of the metal. 



Third. Oxigen and hidrogen are bodies, that in all Sd. 

 cases seem to neutralize each other; and therefore, in the 

 products of combustion, it might be expected, that the 

 natural energies of the bases would be most distinctly dis- 

 played, which is the case; and in oximuriatic acid, the 

 acid energy seems to be blunted by oxigen, and is restored 

 by the addition of hidrogen. 



In the action of potassium and sodium upon ammonia, Argumeirts 

 though the quantity of hidrogen evolved in my experiments ^^' '^ 

 is not exactly the same, as that produced by their action 

 upon water ; yet it is probable, that this is caused by the 

 imperfection of the process*: and supposing potassium and 

 sodium to produce the same quantity of hidrogen from am- 

 monia and water, the circumstance at first view may be con- 

 ceived favourable to the notion, that they contain hidrogen, 

 which, under common circumstances of combination, wiii 

 be repellent to matter of the same kind ; but this is a super- 

 ficial consideration of the subject, and the conclusion can- 

 not be admitted; for, on the idea that in compounds con- 

 taining gaseous matter, and perhaps compounds in general, 

 the elements are combined in uniform proportions; then, 

 whenever bodies known to contain hidrogen are decomposed 

 by a metal, the qtiantities of hidrogen ought to be the 

 same, or multiples of each other. Thus in the decompo- 

 sition of ammonia by potassium and sodium, two of hidro- 

 gen and one of nitrogen remain in combination, and one of 

 hidrogen is given off; and in the action of water on potas- 

 sium to form potash, the same quantity of hidrogen ought 



* There seems to he always the same proportion between the quan- 

 tity of animoiiia which disappears, and the quantity of hidrogeu 

 evolved; i. e. whenever the metals of the alkalis act upon ammonia, 

 (supposing this body to be composed of 3 hidrogen, and i of nitrogen, 

 in volume, 2 of hidrogen and l of nitrogen remain in combination, 

 and 1 of hidrogen is set free. And it may be adduced as a strong ar- 

 gument in favour of the theory of definite proportions, that the 

 quantity of the metals of the alkalis and nitrogen, in the fusible re-. 

 suits, are in the same proportions as those in which they exist in the 

 alkaline nitrates. 



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