[168] Journal de Physique, tom. xliii, part ii. pag. 330. They effected the same change by passing it through a heated tube. Dr. Priestley had published an account of similar experiments more than two years before.
[169] On the one hand, it decomposes ammoniac into hydrogene and nitrogene, whilst on the other, it converts free oxygene and nitrogene into nitrous acid. It likewise converts nitrous gas into nitrous acid and nitrogene. Till we are more accurately acquainted with the nature of heat, light, and electricity, we shall probably be unable to explain these phænomena.
[170] Vol. ii. pag. 83.
[171] Journal de Physique, tom. xliii. part 2, pag. 331. They supposed it to consist of about 37,5 oxygene, and 62,5 nitrogene. The nearness of this account to the truth is singular, when we consider that they were neither acquainted with the specific gravity of nitrous oxide, nor with the production of nitrous acid in this experiment.
[172] Experiments on the detonation of nitrous oxide with phosphorus in this way require great attention. The detonating jar should be very conical; the nitrous oxide employed should never equal more than one eighth of the capacity of the jar. The wire for the inflammation must be very thick, and curved so as to be easily introduced into the jar. When ignited, it must be instantaneously passed through the heated mercury into the jar.
Perhaps the electric spark might be advantageously applied for detonating phosphoric vapor with nitrous oxide.
[173] It will be seen hereafter that these bodies are easily inflamed in nitrous oxide.
[174] Phosphorus burnt feebly with a white flame in a mixture of 4 nitrogene and 1 nitrous oxide.
[175] Journal de Physique, xliii. 328.
[176] In this experiment, as in the last, dense white vapor was produced.