SODIUM. 



According to Bergman, 

 Acid 

 Soda 

 Water - 



Wenzel's analyfis of the dry fait is, 

 Acid . . - - 

 Soda . . - - 



Kirwan's analyfis of ditto. 

 Acid 

 Soda - 



27 

 58 



55-7 

 44-3 



100 



56 



44 



100 



It appears that this fait confifts of two atoms of acid to 

 one of foda, and 20 atoms of water. This, if hydrogen 

 be I, will be 37.5 x 2 acid + 59 foda + 170 water — 

 304. Reduced to the hundred, it will be 



Acid - - - - 19.4 



Soda - . - - 24.6 

 Water . - . 56. 



loo 



Nitrate of Soda. — This fait has been called cuiU nitre, from 

 having the general properties of nitrate of potafli, but dif- 

 fering in the form of its cryltals, which are of a cubical, or 

 rather rhomboidal form. 



It may be formed by faturating pure carbonate of foda 

 with nitric acid. 



On evaporation and cooling, it forms rhomboidal cryftals, 

 the fpecific gravity of which is 2.0964, water being i. 



Thefe cryltals diffolve in three times their weight of 

 water at 60°, and in lefs than their own weight of boiling 

 water. 



With inflammable bodies and heat, it exhibits phenomena 

 fimilar to thofe of nitre : but it is inferior to that fubftance 

 in forming gunpowder with charcoal and fulphur. 



Its proportions, according to Bergman, are 



Nitric acid - - - 43 

 Soda - - - - 32 

 Water .... 25 



Muriate of Soda. — This fait, which is the common culi- 

 nary fait in a ftate of purity, is a component part of almoft 

 all animal matter ; nor is there perhaps a vegetable that doe« 

 not yield fome portion of it. 



It exifts ready formed in the fea, and forms entire moun- 

 tains in the fubttance of the globe. It is from the native 

 fait that all the muriatic acid is obtained. It is never formed 

 by art, but the pure fait may be obtained by adding car- 

 bonate of foda to the fait in folution ; then evaporate it to 

 obtain cryftals ; thefe are of a cubic form, and pure mu- 

 riate of foda. 



According to the prevailing view now taken of this fait, 

 it is a conjpound of fodium and chlorine, or what was called 

 oxymuriatic acid. Hence it is not confidered as a fait, 

 thofe bodies being compounds of an acid and an oxyd. The 

 fubftance in queftion is believed to be a compound of fodium, 

 an inflammable body, combined with another body, having 

 more the properties of oxygen than any other body. Mu- 

 riate of foda is, therefore, confidered as being more allied to 

 an oxyd than a compound of two, the chlorine afting the 

 part of oxygen. It is called by fir Humphrey Davy fodane, 

 by Dr. Thomfon chloride of fodium, and by the French 

 chemifts chlortiret of fodium. Tlie tafte of this fait may 

 be called the ftandard of that fenfation we aWfalt, Its fpe- 

 cific gravity is 2.12 ; it is foluble in about three times its 

 weight of water at 60°, and nearly in the fame quantity of 

 boiling water. 



It is unchanged by expofure to the air. The moift ftate 

 in which it is frequently found in commerce, arifes from the 

 prefence of a little muriate of lime, which the pureft native 

 fait always contains ; but it is more abundant in the fait ob- 

 tained from fea-water. 



It is compofed, according to Bergman, of 



According to Kirwan, in the dry ftate, 



Nitric acid - - 57-55 



Soda - - - 42.34 



99.89 



This fait appears to be compofed of one atom of acid 

 and one of foda, ni the dry ftate, or 50.5 acid and 44 foda 

 = 945. This will give 



Nitric acid - 



Soda ... 



Muriatic acid - 

 Soda 

 Water - 



52 



42 



6 



According to Kirwan, when dried at 80°, 



Acid 



Soda ... 



Water ... 



100 



Sir Humphrey Davy confiders it a compound of 2 atoms 

 of chlorine and i of fodium, or 2 x 33 chlorine -f- 44 

 fodium = 1 10. This will be 



Chlorine 

 Sodium 



60 

 40 



100 



See the article Salt. 



Phofphate of Soda. — This fait has been longer known tliaji 

 phofphorus. It cxiftn ready formed in urine, from which 

 it was extraftcd, and called fal mirabile perlulum, or wonder- 

 ful perlated fait. It was fo called from its cryftals having 

 a pearly appearance. This fait, with excefs of acid, was 

 confidered by Prouft as a peculiar acid, which he called the 

 perlated acid. But it was ultimately found by Klaproth, 

 and afterwards by Schcele, to be a compound of foda with 

 the phofphoric acid. 



Dr. 



