Chemical Researches - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1800 Excerpt: ... XII. The blue green fpherules mentioned in fection V. produced by the condenfation of nitrous vapor, and by the combination of nitric acid with nitrous gas, may be corifidered as faturated folutions of nitrous gas in nitric acid. The combinations of nitric acid and nitrous gas containing a larger proportion of nitrous gas, are incapable of exifting in the fluid ftate at common temperatures; and, as appears from the firft experiment, an increafe of volume take place during their formation. They confequently ought to be looked upon as folutions of nitric acid in nitrous gas, identical with the nitrous vapor of PriefHey. From the refcarches of this great difcoverer, we learn that nitrous vapor is decompofable, both by water and mercury. Hence it is almoft impoflible accurately to afcertain its compofition. In one of his experiments, when more than 130 grains of ftrong nitrous acid were expofed % Experiment and Obfervations; laft edition, vol. I, page 384. for two days to nearly 247 cubic inches of nitrous gas, over water: about half o( the acid was difTolved, and depofited'with the gas in the water.§ 'Kill. In comparing the refults of my fundamental experiment on the compofition of nitrous acid, with thofeof Cavendifh, the great coincidence between them gave me very high fetisfaction, as affording additional proofs of accuracy. If the acid formed in the laft experiment of this iUuftrious philofopher be fuppofed analogous to the light green acid formed in my firft experiment, our eftimations will be almoll: identical. Lavoifier's account of the compofition of the nitric and nitrous acids, has been generally adopted. According to his eftimation, thefe fubftances contain a much larger quantity of oxygene than I have affigned to them. § Nitrous gas, hold...