Chemistry and Physics. 191 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



I. Chemistry and Physics. 



1. Canyon Diablo Meteorite. — Moissan has made a new 

 examination of a portion of this celebrated meteorite. When the 

 mass was cut with a saw several very hard nodules were encoun- 

 tered which interfered greatly with the cutting operation. Upon 

 dissolving a large mass of the meteorite, 53 kg., in hydrochloric 

 acid, it was evident that the iron was not homogeneous, for it 

 was attacked very irregularly. The hydrogen set free by this 

 dissolving contained hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulphide, and hydro- 

 gen phosphide. 



Certain samples taken from the exterior gave the following 

 percentages: Iron, 95-64; nickel, 1*66. Iron, 95-26; nickel, 2*56. 

 Iron 94-03 ; nickel, 3*61. Iron 96*31; nickel, 1*83. A sample of 

 specific gravity 7-703, taken from the interior, gave : Iron, 95*370 ; 

 nickel, 3*945; phosphorus, 0' 144; insoluble in HC1, 0*260 ; silicon, 

 traces; sulphur, traces; carbon, not determined. 



A nodule, cut out with a chisel, gave the following analysis : 

 Iron, 66-95; nickel, 1*93; cobalt, traces; sulphur, 22*15; phos- 

 phorus, 2*37; silicon, small quantity; magnesium, traces; car- 

 bon, 1-96. 



The residue from dissolving 53 kg. in hydrochloric acid weighed 

 800 g. It consisted of a coarse powder, containing brilliant 

 needles and cubes, both of which gave analyses corresponding 

 closely to the formula P Q Fe 3 , and contained only traces of nickel 

 and carbon. In the residue which remained after treatment with 

 concentrated hydrofluoric acid and boiling sulphuric acid, charac- 

 teristic green hexagonal crystals of carbon silicide (carborundum) 

 were found. This is the first time that this compound has been 

 found in nature. 



A part of the carbon in the meteorite escaped in the form of 

 hydrocarbons upon dissolving it in hydrochloric acid, but the 800 

 g. of residue previously referred to contained 5*04 per cent of car- 

 bon. Five forms of carbon were noticed in this residue : A light, 

 impalpable powder ; jagged, slender fragments of a light color, 

 which seemed to have been agglomerated by pressure ; graphite, 

 very rarely crystallized ; smooth, black diamonds, abundant, but 

 very small ; transparent diamonds in the form of octahedrons with 

 rounded edges. — Comptes JRendus, cxxxix, 773. h. l. w. 



2. Metallic Calcium. — An examination of some of the chemical 

 and physical properties of this metal has been undertaken by K. 

 Akxdt. The metal is now produced on the large scale by the 

 electrolysis of fused calcium chloride, so that it is easily procured. 

 Metallic calcium is ductile, and can be hammered and chiselled 

 like brass, and it clogs a saw or a file. The fresh surface of the 

 metal is brilliant, but it becomes yellowish rapidly, particularly 

 in moist air. (The metal was formerly supposed to possess a 



