114 Professor Faraday on Gunpowder. 



it. The action of sulphur was shown by projecting a small portion 

 of a mixture of one part and a half of charcoal to one of sulphur 

 through the flame of spirit, when there was an uniform sheet of flame 

 produced during the burning of the charcoal. When the charcoal 

 was projected separately, it burnt in small detached scintillations. 

 Some gunpowder was fired in air ; and it was thus proved that the 

 whole was converted into gaseous matter, the white vapour being 

 sulphuret of potassium. 



The quantity of gas evolved from gunpowder was shown by plung- 

 ing an ignited fusee under water and collecting the gases in a glass 

 vessel inverted. The volume of the gases thus obtained, was many 

 hundred times that of the gunpowder producing it, and its bulk was 

 still increased by the high temperature of explosion. The chemical 

 nature of the gases produced, might be inferred from the composition 

 of powder. Taking the proportions above given the following equiva- 

 lents would represent the relative proportions of the constituents of 

 the gases. Potassium 1, oxygen 6, carbon 3.4, sulphur 0.85. The 

 nitrogen with the carbon and oxygen as carbonic acid and carbonic 

 oxide, represented the gases, while the sulphur united to the potas- 

 sium. So complete was the combustion that even the potash of the 

 nitre gave up its oxygen. The mode in which the oxygen of the 

 nitre maintained combustion was beautifully illustrated by collecting 

 near a portion of powdered nitre, a quantity of the pyrophorus of 

 tartrate of lead, and suddenly mixing them, — a violent combustion 

 ensued, in which even the lead was burnt. 



Gunpowder might be exploded by percussion. The Professor had 

 even fired it by percussion between two pieces of copper : it was, 

 however, much more difficult to explode it in this way than fulminat- 

 ing mercury or even gun-cotton : hence it might be more safely kept, 

 and would admit of more handling than the latter. Gunpowder 

 required a much higher temperature than gun-cotton for its explo- 

 sion. A portion of gunpowder was gradually dropped into a wide 

 flame of spirit, but it did not explode on contact with the flame ; it 

 fell through and collected in the saucer. The flame was then extin- 

 guished, the unconsumed spirit poured off, — the vessel gently heated, 

 and the gunpowder was obtained in a dry mass below : it was then ex- 

 ploded by a heated wire. On dropping iron filings into the flame 



