In the course of experimenting, I passed the electric spark, for a quarter of an hour, through about 60 measures of phosphorated hydrogene. It underwent no alteration of volume. Phosphorus was apparently precipitated from it, and it had wholly lost its power of inflaming, in contact with common air.
VI. Decomposition of Nitrous Oxide by Sulphur.
From the phænomena before mentioned,[177] relating to the combustion of sulphur in nitrous oxide, it was evident that this gas was only decomposable by it, at a much higher temperature than common air.
I introduced into sulphur in contact with nitrous oxide, over mercury heated to 112°-114°, a wire intensely ignited. It lost much of its heat in passing through the mercury, but still appeared red in the vessel. The sulphur rapidly fused, and sublimed without being at all luminous. This experiment was repeated five or six times, but in no instance could the combustion of sulphur, by means of the ignited wire, be effected.
I inflamed sulphur in nitrous oxide in the same manner as phosphorus; namely, by introducing it into the small vessel filled with oxygene, and igniting it by means of the heated wire. In these experiments the sulphur burnt with a vivid rose-colored light, and much sulphuric, with a little sulphureous acid, was formed.
Experimenting in this way I was never, however, able to decompose more than one third of the quantity of nitrous oxide employed; not only the nitrogene evolved, but likewise the sulphuric and sulphureous acids produced, stopping the combustion.
I found that sulphur in a state of vivid inflammation, when introduced into a mixture of one fourth nitrogene, and three fourths nitrous oxide, burnt with a flame very much enlarged, and of a vivid rose color. In one third nitrogene, and two thirds nitrous oxide, it burnt feebly with a yellow flame. In equal parts of nitrous oxide and nitrogene, it was instantly extinguished.
Sulphur burnt feebly, with a light yellow flame, when introduced ignited into a mixture of 5 nitrous gas, and 6 nitrous oxide. In one third nitrous oxide, and two thirds nitrous gas, it was instantly extinguished. From many circumstances, I am inclined to believe that sulphur is incapable, at any temperature, of slowly decomposing nitrous oxide, so as to burn in it with a blue flame, forming sulphureous acid alone. It appears to attract oxygene from it only when intensely ignited, so as to form chiefly sulphuric acid, and that with great rapidity, and vivid inflammation.
VII. Decomposition of Nitrous Oxide by
Sulphurated Hydrogene.
a. Though nitrous oxide and sulphurated hydrogene do not act upon each other at common temperatures, yet they undergo a mutual decomposition when mingled together in certain proportions, and ignited by the electric spark.