AMERICAN 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ARTS. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 



Art. XXXI.— Ori the Gases contained in Meteorites; by 

 Arthur W. Wright, Professor of Molecular Physics and 

 Chemistry, in Yale College. 



fell on February 12, 1875. Tl 

 stony kind, containing 12-54* per cent of nickeliferous iron, 

 and the investigation was undertaken chiefly with a view to 

 ascertain whether the spectrum of the gases evolved from such 

 a body, by the application of heat, would aiford any informa- 

 tion respecting the recent theories connecting such meteorites 

 with the comets. An analysis of the gases obtained at 

 moderate temperatures developed the unexpected fact that their 

 chief constituent was carbon dioxide, with a small proportion 

 of carbonic oxide, these two gases constituting more than nine 

 tenths of the product evolved at a temperature of 250°, and 

 nearly one half of that given off when the heat was just 

 below redness. As was to be expected from such a composi- 

 tion, the spectrum obtained from the earlier portions of gas 

 given off was chiefly that of the carbon compounds, and 

 showed a very close resemblance to those of several of the 



Among the conclusions drawn from the investigation, it was 



stated, that the nature of their gaseous contents establishes a 



marked distinction between the stony meteorites and the irons 



* Analysis of Prof. J. L. Smith, tMs Journal, III, x, p. 362. 



Am. Jour. Sci.— Thibd Sbbies, Vol. XI, No. 64.— Apbil. 1876, 



