ORDER OF METALS IN DIFFERENT ELECTROLYTES. 
113 
contrast in the order of certain metals in strong and dilute nitric acid* ; and in ob- 
jecting to Marianini’s result most clearly says, that any order must be considered in 
relation only to that liquid employed in the experiments from which the order is de- 
rived -f-. 
2011. I have pursued this subject in relation to several solutions, taking the pre- 
cautions before referred to (1917, &c.), and find that no such single order as that 
just referred to can be maintained. Thus nickel is negative to antimony and bis- 
muth in strong nitric acid ; it is positive to antimony and bismuth in dilute nitric acid ; 
it is positive to antimony and negative to bismuth in strong muriatic acid ; it is 
positive to antimony and bismuth in dilute sulphuric acid ; it is negative to bismuth 
and antimony in potash ; and it is very negative to bismuth and antimony, either in 
the colourless or the yellow solution of sulphuret of potassium. 
2012. In further illustration of this subject I will take ten metals, and give their 
order in seven different solutions. 
Dilute nitric 
acid. 
Dilute sulphuric 
acid. 
Muriatic acid. 
Strong nitric 
acid. 
Solution of 
caustic potassa. 
Colourless bi- 
hydrosulphuret 
of potassium. 
Yellow liydro- 
sulphuret of 
potassium. 
1. Silver. 
2. Copper. 
3. Antimony. 
4. Bismuth. 
5. Nickel. 
6. Iron. 
7. Tin. 
8. Lead. 
9. Cadmium. 
10. Zinc. 
1. Silver. 
2. Copper. 
3. Antimony. 
4. Bismuth. 
5. Nickel. 
6. Iron. 
8. Lead. 
7. Tin. 
9. Cadmium. 
10. Zinc. 
3. Antimony. 
1. Silver. 
5. Nickel. 
4. Bismuth. 
2. Copper. 
6. Iron. 
8. Lead. 
7. Tin. 
9. Cadmium. 
10. Zinc. 
5. Nickel. 
1. Silver. 
3. Antimony. 
2. Copper. 
4. Bismuth. 
6. Iron. 
7. Tin. 
8. Lead. 
10. Zinc. 
9. Cadmium. 
1. Silver. 
5. Nickel. 
2. Copper. 
6. Iron. 
4. Bismuth. 
8. Lead. 
3. Antimony. 
9. Cadmium. 
7. Tin. 
10. Zinc. 
6. Iron. 
5. Nickel. 
4. Bismuth. 
8. Lead. 
1. Silver. 
3. Antimony. 
7. Tin. 
2. Copper. 
10. Zinc. 
9. Cadmium. 
6. Iron. 
5. Nickel. 
4. Bismuth. 
3. Antimony. 
8. Lead. 
1. Silver. 
7. Tin. 
9. Cadmium. 
2. Copper. 
10. Zinc. 
2013. The dilute nitric acid consisted of one volume strong acid and seven volumes 
of water ; the dilute sulphuric acid, of one volume strong acid and thirteen of water ; 
the muriatic acid, of one volume strong solution and one volume water. The strong 
nitric acid was pure, and of specific gravity 1*48. Both strong and weak solution 
of potassa gave the same order. The yellow sulphuret of potassium consisted of one 
volume of strong solution (1812.) and five volumes of water. The metals are num- 
bered in the order which they presented in the dilate acids (the negative above), for 
the purpose of showing, by the comparison of these numbers in the other columns, the 
striking departures there, from this, the most generally assumed order. Iron is in- 
cluded, but only in its ordinary state; its place in nitric acid being given as that 
which it possesses on its first immersion, not that which it afterwards acquires. 
2014. The displacements appear to be most extraordinary, as extraordinary as those 
consequent on dilution (2005.) ; and thus show that there is no general ruling in- 
fluence of fluid conductors, or even of acids, alkalies, &c. as distinct classes of such 
conductors, apart from their pure chemical relations. But how can the contact 
theory account for these results ? To meet such facts it must be bent about in the 
* Annales de Chimie, 1828, xxxvii. p. 235. f Ibid., p. 243. 
MDCCCXL. 
Q 
