594 
DR. H. DEBUS ON THE CHEMICAL THEORY OE GUNPOWDER. 
The reactions can also be represented as follows : 
16KN0 3 +280 + 8S=16KN0 3 +22C + 8 S + 6 C 
16 mols. of saltpetre, 22 atoms of carbon, and 8 atoms of sulphur transform themselves 
according to (XIII.) as follows: 
16KN0 3 +22C+8S= 4K 3 C0 3 +4K 3 S 3 -f18C0 3 + 8 N 3 
If, now, 6 atoms of carbon act on 6 mols. of C0 3 we obtain 
6C0 3 +6C=12C0 
In this manner we can conceive the combustion of a mining powder to take place 
according to the same equations which apply to ordinary gunpowder, and that the 
excess of carbon in the mining powder causes, subsequently, the reduction of a portion 
of the carbonic acid to carbonic oxide. 
