Experiment 57. If potassium be dropped into chlorine gas, inflammation only will take place, accompanied with a vivid light, forming chloride of potassium, (dry muriate of potassa.)
Experiment 58. If sulphuret of potassium be heated in the air, it will burn with great brilliancy, forming sulphate of potassa; but, if mixed with chlorate of potassa, and struck with a hammer, a violent detonation will be produced.
Experiment 59. If potassium be heated in sulphuretted hydrogen gas, it takes fire, and burns with a vivid flame, and pure hydrogen is set free; thus proving that sulphuretted hydrogen gas, although inflammable itself in oxygen gas, is a supporter of combustion for potassium.
Experiment 60. If phosphuret of potassium be exposed to the air, it will inflame spontaneously, forming phosphate of potassa; but if it be dropped into water, it will produce a violent explosion, in consequence of the immediate disengagement of phosphuretted hydrogen gas.
Experiment 61. If potassium be moderately heated in the air, it inflames, burns with a red light, and emits alkaline fumes.
Experiment 62. If potassium be thrown upon water, it acts with great violence, burning with a beautiful light, of a red colour, mixed with purple, the water becoming a solution of potassa.
Experiment 63. When sodium is heated strongly in oxygen or chlorine, it burns with great brilliancy; but it does not inflame, when thrown into water. It is converted, however, into soda. If it be heated in oxygen gas in excess, it burns, and is converted into the peroxide of sodium, which, when mixed with combustible bodies, and exposed to the action of heat, deflagrates with violence, giving off its excess of oxygen, and becoming changed into soda, or protoxide of sodium.
Experiment 64. When sulphuret of sodium is mixed with chlorate of potassa, and struck with a hammer, a detonation will ensue; and when sodium is heated nearly to fusion, in contact with sulphuretted hydrogen gas, it will unite with the sulphur; flame will be produced, and hydrogen gas set at liberty. A sulphuret of sodium is thus formed, which is usually combined with some sulphuretted hydrogen.
Experiment 65. When a mixture of ammoniacal gas, in a dry state, and oxygen gas, is submitted to the influence of the electric spark, in the explosive eudiometer, explosion will take place, and water and azotic gas result.
Experiment 66. If potassium or sodium be heated in fluoric gas, a rapid combustion takes place, in all respects as brilliant as in oxygen gas.