6 cubic inches of the gas produced were exposed to boiled water, but little or no absorption took place. Hence, evidently, it contained no nitrous oxide.
They were then exposed to solution of sulphate of iron: the solution quickly became dark colored, and an absorption of 1,6 took place on agitation.[89]
The gas remaining instantly extinguished the taper, and was consequently nitrogene.
This experiment was repeated, with nearly the same results.
We may then conclude, that at high temperatures, nitrate of ammoniac is wholly resolved into water, nitrous acid, nitrous gas, and nitrogene; whilst a vivid luminous appearance is produced.
The transparency and orange color produced in the gas that had been clouded, by new portions of it, doubtless arose from the solution of the nitric acid and water forming the cloud, in the heated nitrous vapor produced, so as to constitute an aëriform triple compound; whilst the cloudiness and absorption subsequent were produced by the diminished temperature, which destroyed the ternary combination, and separated the nitrous acid and water from the nitrous gas.
From the rapidity with which the deflagration of nitrate of ammoniac proceeds, and from the immense quantity of light produced, it is reasonable to suppose that a very great increase of temperature takes place. The tube in which the decomposition has been effected, is always ignited after the process.
IX. Speculations on the decompositions of
Nitrate of Ammoniac.
All the phænomena of chemistry concur in proving, that the affinity of one body, A, for another, B, is not destroyed by its combination with a third, C, but only modified; either by condensation, or expansion, or by the attraction of C for B.
On this principle, the attraction of compound bodies for each other must be resolved into the reciprocal attractions of their constituents, and consequently the changes produced in them by variations of temperature explained, from the alterations produced in the attractions of those constituents.