320 J. M. Ordway on Nitrates of Iron. 
18.—11 g. of nitric acid of sp. gr. 1:25 being cooled in snow, 10g, of 
the fine wire were gradually added. 8 g. of the iron were dissolved and 
the loss was only 1-23 g. Were the metal in this case oxydized by the 
gi he solution did indeed contain some ammonia, but its 
amount was too trifling to account for any considerable part of the oxy- 
dation. , 
14.—7 g. of fine wire were gradually dropped into 97 g. of nitric acid 
f sp. gr. 1-20. The iron was all taken up leaving only some black skel- 
etons of the fibers. There was no loss, but a gain of 0:26 g. The pro- 
As the iron in this experiment was all used up, it is plain that 
_ the production of ammonia and a protosalt was not owing to 
_ the after reaction of the partly made pernitrate on an excess of 
oles of oxygen from the air were going on simultaneously, 
and during the whole time. 
It is not certainly known whether, in the direct action of 
nitric acid on iron, the generation of ammonia and the forma- 
tion of protonitrate have any necessary connection. I have 
_ hever detected protonitrate in the product unless ammonia was 
: also Present; but ammonia is sometimes found when the iron is — 
_ times in the course of a few days, deposit a considerable quan- 
tity of rust and give off some nitric oxyd 
et 
- solution the 
indeed, found a ood reaso 
such thing as a sesquinit 
When w. togethe 
L'3 the phenomena of passivity someti 
the induction of such a state depends 
f the acid, | 
