CHAP. PAGE PREFACE v I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. SULPHURIC ACID AND SULPHATES 10 III. NITRIC ACID AND NITRATES 28 IV. THE HALOGEN ACIDS 43 V. CARBONIC ACID AND CARBONATES 49 VI. PHOSPHORIC, BORIC, AND SILICIC ACIDS 56 VII. ORGANIC ACIDS 67 VIII. MILD ALKALI 80 IX. CAUSTIC ALKALIS 95 X. ELECTROLYTIC METHODS 101 INDEX 109 ILLUSTRATIONS FIG. PAGE BACTERIA NODULES ON THE ROOT OF LUPIN _Frontispiece_ 1. DIAGRAM 7 2. PLAN OF SULPHURIC ACID WORKS 13 3. GENERAL VIEW OF SULPHURIC ACID WORKS 15 4. SULPHUR TRIOXIDE—THE CONTACT PROCESS 19 5. PREPARATION OF NITRIC ACID 30 6. NITROGEN CYCLE (DIAGRAM) 38 7. NITRIC ACID FROM AIR (DIAGRAM) 41 8. PREPARATION OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID 45 9. BORIC ACID 59 10. QUICK VINEGAR PROCESS 71 11. DUTCH PROCESS FOR WHITE LEAD 74 12. SALT CAKE FURNACE 83 13. BLACK ASH FURNACE 85 14. THE SOLVAY PROCESS 89 15. THE ELECTROLYSIS OF SALT SOLUTION 102 16. THE CASTNER PROCESS 105 ACIDS, ALKALIS, AND SALTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION