A M M 
A M M 
A M M 
nia separates under the form of gas. "W hen 
exposed to the temperature of — 46° it crys- 
tallizes; and when suddenly cooled down to 
—(is 0 , it assumes the appearance of a thick 
jel 1 v, and has scarcely any smell. 
it follows from the experiments of Mr. 
Davy, that a saturated solution of. ammonia is 
Composed of 
74.63 water 
23.37 ammonia 
100,00 
The following table, drawn up by the 6ame 
ingenious chemist, exhibits the proportion of 
water and ammonia contained in 100 parts of 
liquid ammonia of different specific gravities. 
Specific grav. 
Ammonia. 
Water. 
0.9034 
25.37 
■74.63 
0.9166 
22.07 
77.9 3 
0.9255 
19.54 
80.46 
0.9326 
17.52 
82.48 
0.9385 
15.88 
84.12 
0.9435 
14.53 
.85.47 
0.9476 
13.46 
86,54 
0.9513 
12.40 
87.60 
0.9545 
11.56 
88.44 
0.9573 
10.82 
89.18 
0.9597 
10.17 
89.83 
0.9619 
9.60 
90.40 
0.9684 
9.50 
90.50 
0.9639 
9.09 
90.91 
0.9713 
7.17 
92.83 
4. Ammoniacal gas is not altered by light; 
but when electric sparks are made to pass 
through it, the bulk of the gas is considerably 
increased, and it is converted into hydrogen 
gas and azotic gas. Hence it follows, that it 
is composed of hydrogen and azote. By this 
P ! •ocess Berthollet converted 1.7 cubic inches 
of ammoniacal gas into 3.3 Cubic inches. 
5. T his gas has no effect upon ox vgen gas 
while cold ; but when a mixture of the two 
gases is made to pass through a red hot 
porcelain tube, a detonation takes place, 
water is formed, and azotic gas emitted. 
Hence we see that ammonia is partly com- 
bustible. Its hydrogen combines with the 
oxygen, and forms water, while the azote 
makes its escape in the form of a gas. If the 
proportion of oxy gen gas is considerable, ni- 
tric acid is also formed in consequence of the 
combination of, the azote with the superabun- 
dant oxygen. The same decomposition and 
detonation take place if common air is used 
instead of oxygen gas. 
6. 'Sulphur is the only one of the simple 
combustibles that combines with ammonia. 
Hydrogen produces no change upon it what- 
ever; but phosphorus and charcoal act with 
considerable effect in high temperatures. 
It combines with sulphur in the state of va- 
pour, and forms a sulphuret which decom- 
poses water, and forms hydrogenated sul- 
phuret of ammonia, known formerly by the 
name of fuming liquor of Boyle, because it 
was first described by that philosopher. It is 
commonly prepared by distilling a mixture 
of Jive parts of sal ammoniac, live parts of 
sulphur, and six of quicklime. It is a liquid 
of a red or rather deep orange colour, and 
exhales a fetid odour in consequence of an 
excess of ammonia which it contains. Its 
nature was first pointed out by Berthollet. 
Phosphorus produces no change on aimno- 
1 ntacalgas while cold; but when this gas is 
made to pass through phosphorus in a red hot 
porcelain tube, it is decomposed, and phos- 
phureted hydrogen gas, and phosphureted 
azotic gas, are formed. 
Charcoal absorbs ammoniacal gas, but does 
not alter its properties while cold. But when 
the gas is made to pass through red hot char- 
coal, part of the charcoal combines with it, 
and forms a substance known by the name of 
prussic acid. 
7. Ammonia is not acted on by azote ; but 
it combines rapidly with muriatic acid, the 
| two gases concreting into the solid salt called 
manat of ammonia. 
8. Ammonia does not combine with the 
metals; but it changes some of them into 
oxides, and then dissolves them. The oxi- 
dizement is evidently in consequence of the 
decomposition of part of the water with 
which tiie ammonia is combined ; for hydro- 
gen gas is emitted during the solution. Cop- 
per and zinc are oxidized by the action of 
ammonia: as are also tin and iron, though 
only superficially. Scarcely any of the other 
metals are altered by its action. 
Liquid ammonia is capable of dissolving 
the oxides of copper, iron, tin, nickel, zinc, 
bismuth, and cobalt. When digested upon 
the oxides of mercury, lead, or manganese, 
it is decomposed, water is formed by the 
union of the hydrogen of the ammonia with 
the oxygen ot the oxides, and azotic gas is 
emitted. If a considerable heat is applied, 
nitric acid is formed at the same time with 
water. Several other oxides are also partly 
deoxidized when ammonia is poured into 
their solutions in acids. The ammoniacal 
solution of the peroxide of copper is of a fine 
blue colour, and, according to Sage, capable 
of crystallizing. When heat is applied, the 
ammonia is partly driven off, and partly de- 
composed, by the combination of its hydro- 
gen with the oxygen of the oxide. 
9. Ammonia combines readily with the 
peroxides of gold and silver, and forms with 
them two compounds, formerly known by 
the .names of fulminating gold and fulminat- 
ing silver ; because, when heated or rubbed, 
they explode with great violence. It com- 
bines also with the red oxide of mercury. 
10. The affinities of ammonia are the same 
with those of the fixed alkalies. 
11. As ammonia has the property of deto- 
nating with nitre, chemists had unanimously 
agreed that it contained phlogiston. Scheele 
lirst demonstrated, that when it is decompos- 
ed by means of the oxides of manganese, ar- 
senic, or gold, azotic gas is set at liberty, 
'while the oxide is reduced. Hence he con- 
cluded, that it was composed of azote and 
phlogiston ; and Bergman coincided with him 
in opinion. Dr. Priestley discovered, that 
when electric explosions are made to pass 
through this gas, its bulk is gradually aug- 
mented to thrice the space which it formerly 
occupied; and a quantity of hydrogen gas is 
produced. The same ingenious philosopher 
applied heat to the red oxides of mercury 
and lead confined in ammoniacal gas. T he 
oxides were reduced, Water was evolved, the 
ammoniacal gas disappeared, and instead of 
it, there was found a quantity of azotic gas. 
'These experiments, and those of Scheele, led 
to the conclusion, that ammonia is composed 
of azote and hydrogen ; a conclusion which 
was fully established by the experiments of 
Berthollet, published in the Memoirs of the 
French Academy for 1783. 'i his acute phi- 
losopher repeated the experiments of Scheele 
and Priestley, and applied to them the theory 
ot Mr. Lavoisier, anti added also several very 
decisive ones of his o\vn. - The most impor- 
tant of these is the mutual decomposition of 
ammonia and oxy-muriatic acid. When sc , 
luttons of these bodies in water are mixed, to- 
gether, an. effervescence takes place, azote is 
disengaged, a quantity of water formed, and 
the oxy-muriatic acid is converted into com- 
mon muriatic acid. Now' the substances 
mixed were ammonia and oxy-muriatic acid, , 
Which is composed of oxygen and muriatic 
acid ; the products were, muriatic acid, azote, 
and water, which is composed of oxygen and 
hydrogen..' The' oxygen of the water was 
furnished by the acid; the other products ; 
must have been furnished by the ammonia, 
which had disappeared. Ammonia, there- 
fore, must be composed of azote and hydro- 
gen. It follows from Mr. 'Berth diet's experi- 
ments, that ammonia is composed of 121 
parts of azole and 29 of hvdrogen. Accord- 
ing to Dr. Austin, it is composed of 121 parts 
of azote and 32 of hy drogen. Hence 100 
parts of ammonia are composed of about 80 
parts of azote and 20 of hydrogen. The ex- 
periments of Berthollet have been still farther 
confirmed by' those made more lately by Mr. . 
Davy. 
Ammonia, liquid, is formed bv the solu- 
tion of affimoniacal gas in water, which takes > 
place very rapidly. 
AMMONIAC, or Gh;//-Ammoniacum, 
in the materia medica, a gum, or more pro- 
perly a gum-resin, extracted from an umbel- 
liferous plant, growing in some parts of Africa 
and Asia. It is brought to us in drops or’ 
granules, and sometimes in large masses, com- 
posed of a number of these granules connected 
together by other matter of the same kind. 
T he best ammoniac is always most free from 
dross, of a yellowish colour without and white 
within, of a bitterish taste and castor smell. 
Ammoniac, sal. See Muriate of Am- 
monia, in Chemistry. 
AMMONIACAL gas, an elastic fluid, as 
transparent as air, but little more than half as 
heavy. Its smell and taste. are sharp .and caus- 
tic. ft destroys animal and vegetable life, 
and extinguishes flame. The electric spark 
separates it into its constituent principles, 
hydrogen and azotic gas. On being mixed 
with acid gases, clouds are produced by the 
formation of neutral ammonial salts. . 
Ammoniacal preparations. . See Phar- 
macy. 
AMMONITE, in natural history, the 
same with the cornua ammonis, or snake- 
stones. 
AMMOSCHISTA, a genus of stones of a 
laminated structure, and Splitting only hori- 
zontally, or into flat plates. 
AMMUNITION, a general term for all 
warlike provisions, but more especially pow- 
der, ball, &c. 
Ammunition, arms, utensils of. war, gun- 
powder, imported Without licence from his 
majesty, are, by the laws of England, forfeited 
and triple the value. 
And again, such licence obtained, except 
for furnishing his majesty’s public stores, is to 
be void, and the offender to incur a p ra- 
in uni re, and be disabled from holding any 
office from the crown. 
