'1810.] 
apparently the same as hydrogen and ni- 
trogen, nearly in the proportions in which 
they exist in volatile alkali, are evolved 
during the exposure of the compound to 
heat ; and, as the residual substance pro- 
duces ammonia, with a little hydrogen, 
by the action of water, it occurred to 
Myr. D. that it ought, according to the 
antiphlogistic theory, to be a compound 
of potassium, a little oxygen, and nitro- 
gen, or a combination of a subosyde of 
potassium and nitrogen; for the hydro- 
gen disengaged, nearly equalled the 
whole quantity contained in the ammo- 
nia employed:.and it was easy to explain 
the fact of the reproduction of the am- 
monia by water, on the supposition, that 
by combination with one portion of the 
oxygen of the water, the oxyde of potas- 
sium becamé pc tash ; and by combina- 
tion with another portion and its hydro- 
gen, the nitrogen was converted into 
volatile alkali. ‘To ascertain this, he 
made several experiments on various 
residuuins, procured from the action of 
equal quantities of potassium on dry 
ammonia, each portion of metal equal- 
ling six grains ; and in the trial which he 
regarded as most accurate, two cubical 
inches and a half of oxygen were ab- 
sorved, and only a cubical inchand one- 
tenth of nitrogen evolved. The solid 
substance produced, was pure potash. 
Lhe quantity of nitrogen existing in the 
gnmonia, which this resitiuum would 
have produced by the action. of water, 
supposing it had been decomposed by 
electricity, would have equalled at least 
two Cubical inches and a quarter. ‘¢ On 
what,” says Mr. D. “ could this loss of 
nitrogen depend? had it entered into any 
uoknown form with oxygen, or did it not 
really exist in the residuum in the sane 
quantity as in the ammonia produced 
from 1t?” 
He made an experiment, by heating 
the entire fusible substance, from six 
grains of potassium which had absorbed 
twelve cubical inches of ammonia, in an 
iron tube. The heat was gradually 
raised to whiteness, and the gas collected 
in two portions, ‘Lhe whoic quantity 
generated, making the usual corrections 
for temperature ‘and pressure, would 
have been, at the mean degree of the 
barometer aad thermometer, 144 cubi- 
cal inches. Of mee nearly a cubical 
inch was ammonia; and the remainder a, 
gas, of which the portion destructible by 
setonation with oxygen, was to the in- 
gestructible portion as 2:7 to 1, The 
; 
- 
aa 
Proceedings of cearned Societies. ~- 361 
lower part of the tube, where the heat 
had been intense, was found surrounded 
with potash in a vitreous fourm; the u 
per part contained a considerable quane 
tity of potassium. In a similar experi- 
ment, the same elastic.products were 
evolved. 
the stop-cock being open in contact witia 
mercury, it was first filied with mercury, 
and then the mercury displaced by 
water, when two cubical inches and 
three quarters of hydrogen gas were ge= 
nerated ; which proved, that at least two 
grains and a half of potassium had beea 
revived. 
“If,” says the professor, ** a calcula- 
tion be made upon the products in these 
operations, considering them as nitrogen 
and hydrogen, and t taking the common 
standard temperature and pressure, it 
will be found, that by the decomposition 
of 11 cubical inches of ammonia, equal 
to 2°05 vrains, there is venerated 3°6 cu- 
bical inches of nitrogen, equal to 1°06 
grains, and 9*9 cubical inches of hydro- 
gen, which, added to that disengaged in 
the first operation, are equal to °382 
grains; and the vipioue added to tie 
potassium, would be 3% of a grain or +6; 
and the whole iat 1s 2°04 grains; 
and 2*J5—2'°04 =='01. But the same 
quantity of amrmonia, decomp: sed by 
electricity, would have given 5 5 cubical 
inches of nitrogen, equal to 1°6 crainsy 
and only 14 cubical inches of hydrogen, 
equal to°33: and allowing the separation 
of oxygen in this process in water, it 
cannot be estimated at more than 11 or 
°12. So that if the analysis of ammonia 
by electricity approaches to accuracy, 
there is a consiterable loss of nitrogen, 
and a production of oxygen and inflam. 
mable gas; and in the action of water 
upon the residuum, there is an apparent 
generation of nitrogen. 
6¢ Flow can these extraordinary results 
be explained?—The decomposition and 
composition of nitrogen seem proved, 
allowing the correctness sok the data; 
and one of its elements a: Ppears to be 
oxyven 5 but-what is its pehied elementary 
matter —Is the gas that appears to pos- 
sess the properties of hydrogen, anew 
species of inflammable aeriform sub- 
stance ?—Or has nitrogen a metallic ba- 
sis, which alloys wich the i iron or platina ? 
— Or is water alike the ponderable mati’ r 
of nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen ?—Or 
is nitrogen a. coinpound of hydrogen, 
with a larger proportion of oxygen than 
exists in water?” 
. Mr. 
© 
The tube was suffered to cool; 
ye 
iat dante ec aE 
———— 
SNES 
