Scientific American Supplement, No. 561, October 2, 1886Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 561, October 2, 1886
Various
Science -- Periodicals
To render the liquid conducting, we have added before each experiment
a small quantity of dried and fused fluorhydrate of fluoride of
potassium. In this case, decomposition proceeds in a continuous
manner; we obtain at the negative pole hydrogen, and at the positive
pole a regular disengagement of a colorless gas in which crystallized
silicium in the cold burns with great brilliancy, becoming fluoride of
silicium. This latter gas has been collected over mercury, and
accurately characterized.
Deville's adamantine boron burns in the same manner, but with more
difficulty, becoming fluoride or boron. The small quantity of carbon
and aluminum which it contains impedes the combination. Arsenic and
antimony in powder combine with this gaseous body with incandescence.
Sulphur takes fire in it, and iodine combines with a pale flame,
losing its color. We have already remarked that it decomposes cold
water, producing ozone and hydrofluoric acid.
The metals are attacked with much less energy. This is due, we think,
to the small quantity of metallic fluoride formed preventing the
action being very deep. Iron and manganese in powder, slightly heated,
burn with sparks. Organic bodies are violently attacked. A piece of
cork placed near the end of the platinum tube, where the gas is
evolved, immediately carbonizes and inflames. Alcohol, ether, benzol,
spirit of turpentine, and petroleum take fire on contact.
The gas evolved at the negative pole is hydrogen, burning with a pale
flame, and producing none of these reactions.
When the experiment has lasted several hours, and there is not enough
hydrofluoric acid left at the bottom of the tube to separate the two
gases, they recombine in the apparatus in the cold, with violent
detonation.
We have satisfied ourselves, by direct experiment, that a mixture of
ozone and hydrofluoric acid produces none of the reactions described
above.
It is the same with gaseous hydrofluoric acid. Finally we may add that
the hydrofluoric acid employed, as well as the hydrofluorate of
fluoride, were absolutely free from chlorine.
The gas obtained in our experiments is therefore either fluorine or a
perfluoride of hydrogen.
New experiments are necessary to settle this last point. We hope soon
to lay the results before the Academy.--_Comptes Mendus_, vol. ciii.,
p. 202, July 19, 1886; _Chem. News._
* * * * *
COHESION AND COHESION FIGURES.[1]
[Footnote 1: Notes from a lecture given to the Halifax Scientific
Society, July 19, 1886.]
By WILLIAM ACKROYD, F.I.C.
_1. A Law of Solubility._
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