IMPORTANT FACTS IN CHEMISTRY. 
659 
The following arguments appear to me 
decisive. 
1. Sulphurous acid is the sole gaseous 
product, when sulphur is burnt in dry oxygen 
gas, and the resulting volume is the same as 
that of the oxygen consumed. 
2. Carbonic acid is the sole gaseous pro- 
duct when carbon is burnt in oxygen gas, and 
the resulting volume is the same as that of the 
oxygen consumed. 
3. Steam is the sole gaseous product when 
oxygen is burnt in hydrogen gas, and the 
resulting volume is the same as that of the 
hydrogen consumed. 
4. Sulphuretted hydrogen is the sole gase- 
ous product when sulphur is burnt in hydro- 
gen gas, and the resulting volume is the same 
as that of the hydrogen consumed. 
Besides, these substances have all been 
obtained in the form of gases and liquids ; 
now the striking analogies before us prove, 
that they are formed after the same manner : 
but, in the opinion of all parties, the first two 
contain three atoms each ; hence, the others 
contain three atoms each, and 16 is the atomic 
weight of oxygen. 
Again, take sulphurous and hypo-sulphur- 
ous acids on the one hand, and water and 
deutoxide of hydrogen on the other; tlien, 
1st, Sulphurous acid is formed by burning 
sulphur in oxygen gas, and the volume of 
oxygen is not changed ; and new gas may be 
passed through red hot tubes without decom- 
position : but, several substances which have 
a strong affinity for oxygen, as potassium, 
•carbon, &c., decompose it: also by a slight 
pressure it becomes a limpid liquid. 2nd. Hypo- 
sulphurous acid contains twice as much 
sulphur as the sulphurous acid; it is easily 
decomposed, and cannot remain permanent 
common temperatures. 
Now the same sentence, with scarcely any 
variation, may be read for the analogous 
Name. 
Atomic 
Thomson. 
Weight by 
Berzelius. 
'Oxygen, 
16 
16.026 
SulphuT'f ..... . . 
32 
32.239 
Nitrogen, 
14 
14.189 
Phinvine, 
18 
Chlorine, 
36 
35-470 
Rrominfij 
80 
79.263 
Inriinfi,- ... ^ * . . 
126 
123.206 
flplfitiium j 
80 
Phosphorus,.. .. 
16 
31.436 
Berzelius has, with great propriety, set 
down the results of his very accurate experU 
ments without correcting them by theory; 
it would be well to give also the results thus 
corrected. From the calculated and experi- 
mental specific gravities of 57 compounds in 
the table appended to the 8th proposition, it 
appears to me, that the numbers, as given by 
Dr. Thomson, are nearer the truth than those 
given by Berzelius; and this more particu- 
iarly seems to be the case in respect to two 
substances, water and the deutoxide of hydro- 
gen, by merely substituting the names of these 
compounds and their elements. But sul- 
phurous acid consists of two atoms oxygen 
and one sulphur, and hypo-sulphurous acid 
of one of each, whichever view of the subject 
betaken; hence, water must be allowed to 
be two atoms hydrogen and one oxygen, and 
rleutoxide of hydrogen consists of one of each ; 
hence, 16 is the atomic weight of oxygen. 
The same sentence will nearly apply to the 
following couple of compounds, viz., sul- 
phuretted hydrogen and bi-sulphuretted hy- 
drogen : these then must agree in composi- 
tion with one of the former couples, which 
confirms the conclusion. Many similar com- 
pounds exist and testify the same thing. One 
additional instance will be abundantly suffi- 
cient, taken from carbonic and nitiic oxides, 
1. A volume of carbonic oxide is double 
that of its oxygen, and combined with an- 
other volume of oxygen, it becomes carbonic 
acid, without change of volume. 
2. A volume of nitric acid is double that 
of its nitrogen, and combined with another 
volume of nitrogen it becomes nitrous oxide, 
without change of volume. 
It follows from these analogies, that the 
substances before us are composed after the 
same manner: now, according to both views, 
carbonic oxide is one atom oxygen and one 
carbon ; hence, nitric oxide is one nitrogen 
and one oxygen; but by weight the consti- 
tuents are in the^ ratio of 14 to 16, and 14 is 
the atomic weight of nitrogen, therefore, 16 
is that of oxygen. 
The other atomic weights used in this paper 
are taken from Dr. Thomson’s determinations, 
doubling some of them on account of using 
16 for oxygen. They are inserted in the 
following table, and the numbers of Berzelius 
are annexed ; the substances in Italics are 
double the numbers given by Dr. Thomson. 
Name. 
Atomic 
Thomson. 
Weight by 
Berzelius. 
Arsenic, 
38 
75*329 
Boron, 
16 
21*793 
Carbon, 
12 
12- *250 
Tellurium, 
64 
129 243 
Titanium, 
52 
62356 
Silicon. 
16 
44-469 
Hydrogen, 
1 
1 
Mercury, 
100 
202*868 
Tin, 
116 
117*839 
or three, which 1 have examined more at 
large, as may be seen in respect to carbon 
from the ten compounds in the following table. 
The specific gravities are calculated by a rule 
drawn from the 8th proposition, namely to 
multiply the sum of the atomic weights of the 
elements by the specific gravity of hydrogen, 
when the elements combine in single groups, 
and by half that sum when they combine iti 
double groups. 
