270 ANALYSIS OF NEUTRAL SALT*. 



ammonia yield 14-85 of nitrogen, and 3*81 of hidrogen, in 

 which we shall find, according to the calculation above men- 

 tioned, 8*8 of oxigen. It is very natural, that I should hi- 

 therto have been able to obtain only tolerably near approxi- 

 mations to the truth, and thus trifling differences may exist, 

 without the principle, on which t have founded this calcu- 

 lation, being erroneous. According to this 100 parts of the 

 base of ammonia, which I shall call ammonium, combine 

 vvVth 11*175 of oxigen, to form hidrogen. This quantity I 

 bball express by 1 ox. The combination of 44*7 := 4 ox. (ox- 

 idule of ammonium) exists in all probability in the olive- 

 colonred substance formed by the contact of potassium with 

 ammoniacal gas. That of 89'4 — 8 ox. forms ammonia : 

 and 134' 1 rr 12 ox. forms nitrogen, which ought therefore 

 to be composed of 57*28 oxigen and 42'72 ammonium. 

 From the corresponding analysis of Messrs, Davy and 

 Gay-Lussac, 100 parts of nitrogen combine with 57'3 

 of oxigen to form the oxidule of nitrogen [nitrous oxide]: 

 but these hundred parts of nitrogen contain 57'3 of oxigen, 

 so that in the oxidule of nitrogen ammonium is combined 

 with twice as much oxigen as in nitrogen; that is, 100 parts 

 of ammonium are combined with 2()8"2 ~ 24 ox. According 

 to the analyses already quoted 36 ox. produce nitrous gas, 

 anji 60 ox. nitric acid. Between 36 and 60 the proportion 

 of 48 is wanting, which, according to all appearance, belongs 

 to nitrous acid. 76 ox. produce water, but this number 

 stands too much alone to be verified by any calculation*. 



Another circumstance, that has appeared difBcult to ex- 

 plain, is, that potassium evolves nearly the same quantity of 

 Hitlrcgen hidrogen in ammonia as in water. If the experiments of 



Mr. Davy be as accurate as they appear, 100 parts of po- 



evolved from 



drogen in wa- 

 ter 



Proportion of » The proportion of oxigen to hidrogen in water, on which Mr. Ber- 

 oxigen to hi- gelius appears lo have formed his calculation, is 8825 to 11'75; but, if 

 we take the oxigen in water = 72 ox., to use his oxpression, which is just 

 double 3G ox., the proportion of oxigen to hidrogen in 100 parts of water 

 will be 87-7 to 12 3 very nearly. This differs but a trifle from the con- 

 clusions of von Humboldt and Gay-Lussac, adopted by Mr. Dalton in his 

 Chemical Philosophy, Part II, p. 274, 5 : and the mean between the two 

 will be a near appioximation to 87"5 arid ISS, which are precisely in the 

 ratio of 7 to I. C 



tassium 



