BETWEEN MGUIATIC ACID AND CHLORINE. 335 



nearly that are known to constitute ammonia. I analysed this 

 mixed gas, by explosion with half its volume of pure oxygen, 

 in a peculiar apparatus, which I shall describe in the sequel. 

 On firing 100 measures with the electric spark, 76.2 disappear- 

 ed, | of which, — 50.8, are hydrogen. Before explosion, the 

 hundred volumes consisted of 66-f ammoniacal gaseous matter, 

 -f- 33} oxygen. Of these 66f parts, 50.8, are hydrogen, and 

 15.86 azote; or in the 100, 76.2 + 23.8. But, by Gay Lus- 

 sac, 1 volume of azote unites with 3 volumes of hydrogen to 

 form ammonia. Hence 23.8 measures of azote should have 

 been accompanied with only 71.4 of hydrogen, instead of 76.2 

 actually obtained. This excess of hydrogen is due to the de- 

 composition of a little of the watery product, in the formation 

 of the muriate of iron. That muriate of iron is formed, is pro- 

 ved by many circumstances. First, the disappearance of the 

 acid in the gaseous products. Sal ammoniac being decompo- 

 sed with its ultimate gases, will consist of two measures of 

 those constituting the alkali -f- one measure of the muriatic. 

 Hence 100 volumes should contain 33} of this acid gas; but 

 they actually contained only about 5. Therefore about 28 

 measures, which form the difference, were condensed with the 

 iron. Secondly, the iron turnings had increased in weight ; 

 they deliquesced speedily on exposure to the atmosphere, and, 

 digested in water, they yielded an acerb-tasted solution of mu- 

 riate of iron, giving with prussiate of potash a copious blue 

 precipitate. 



The quantity of muriate produced in the experiment, will 

 depend on the proportion of turnings which have been but 

 moderately heated ; for the ammonia, in its passage over the 

 strongly ignited iron, may be conceived to separate the oxy- 

 gen, and thus prevent the formation of muriate. 



Water 



