scholarly journals Bakerian Lecture—On certain phenomena of voltaic ignition, and on the decomposition of water into its constituent gases by heat

1851 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 657-659
Keyword(s):  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
Platinum Wire ◽  
Philosophical Magazine ◽  
Decomposition Of Water

The author refers to an eudiometer, an account of which was published by him in the ‘Philosophical Magazine’ for 1840, formed of a glass tube, into the closed extremity of which a loop of plati­num wire was sealed. The gases to be analysed were mixed in this tube with a given volume of oxygen and hydrogen, and detonated or slowly combined by the voltaic ignition of the platinum wire. He was thence led to try a further set of experiments on the analysis, by this instrument, of such gases and vapours as are decomposable by heat; the process being capable of much greater exactness than the received one of passing them through ignited tubes. The re­sults of the analyses of several gases by this means are given in the paper. When carbonic acid and hydrogen are mixed in equal volumes and exposed to the ignited wire, the hydrogen abstracts oxygen from the carbonic acid, and leaves carbonic oxide. Con­versely, when carbonic oxide is exposed over water to the ignited wire, it abstracts oxygen from the aqueous vapour, and forms car­bonic acid. It thus appeared, that provided there were bodies present capable of absorbing by affinity the elements of water, ignited platinum would either compose or decompose water. The author was thence led to hope that he might by ignited platinum decompose water into its constituents, without absorption by other bodies, and thus pro­duce converse effects to those already known. In this he ultimately succeeded by various methods, in some of which the ignition was produced by electrical means; in others by ordinary calorific pro­cesses, such as the oxyhydrogen blowpipe, &c.

scholarly journals I. The Bakerian Lecture. - On certain phenomena of voltaic ignition and the decomposition of water into its constituent gases by heat

1847 ◽  
Vol 137 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Nitric Acid ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
Platinum Wire ◽  
Pure Oxygen ◽  
Philosophical Magazine ◽  
The Wire ◽  
Decomposition Of Water ◽  
At Will

In the Philosophical Magazine for August 1841, I recommended for eudiometrical purposes, the use of a platinum wire ignited by a voltaic battery. In Plate I. fig. 1, is represented a form of apparatus for this purpose; it consists of a tube of Bohe­mian glass, with a loop of platinum wire 1/80th of an inch diameter sealed into its upper end; the size of the glass tube may be adapted to the quantity of gas sought to be analysed, and may when necessary be reduced to extremely small dimensions, one-eighth of an inch being ample; into this the gas may readily be made to ascend, by the insertion of a wire of copper, platinum, or glass, as may be suitable to the gas: two cells of the nitric-acid battery are sufficient fully to ignite the wire, and the same battery supplies, by electrolysis, pure oxygen and hydrogen for the analysis. Since the period when I first proposed this, I have seldom used any other apparatus for such gaseous analyses as are performed by combining the gas to be examined with oxygen or hydrogen. This eudiometer possesses the advantage of enabling the operator either to detonate or slowly to combine the gases, by using different powers of battery, by interposing resisting wires, or by manipulation alone, —a practised hand being able by changing the intervals of contact to combine or detonate the gas at will. My general practice has been to produce a gentle heat in the wire until the gases con­tract, and then gradually to increase the heat until a full ignition takes place, by which means all the objects of the eudiometer of Volta are fulfilled, without detona­tion, without dependence on the fickle electric spark, and without thick tubes, any danger of explosion, or of the gases being projected from the eudiometer. I have commenced with a description of this eudiometer, as it has been indirectly the means of my undertaking the experiments detailed in this lecture; and as its very great convenience has never been generally understood, I think that in strongly re­commending it, I shall be of service to chemists.

Experiments on the gas voltaic battery, with a view of ascertaining the rationale of its action and on its application to eudiometry

1843 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 463-465
Keyword(s):  
Oxalic Acid ◽  
Sulphuric Acid ◽  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
The Other ◽  
Philosophical Magazine ◽  
Faraday’S Law ◽  
New Apparatus ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
The One ◽  
Decomposition Of Water

The author, referring to a paper published in the Philosophical Magazine for December 1842, giving an account of a voltaic battery of which the active ingredients are gases, and by which the decomposition of water is effected by means of its composition, describes several variations in the form of the apparatus recorded in that paper. The experiments he has made with this new apparatus, and the details of which occupy the greater part of the present memoir, he conceives establish the conclusion that the phenomena exhibited in the gaseous battery are in strict conformity with Faraday’s law of definite electrolysis. They also confirm him in the opinion which he had expressed in his original paper, and which had been controverted by Dr. Schœnbein, in a communication to the Philosophical Magazine for March 1843, as well as by other philosophers, namely, that the oxygen, in that battery, immediately contributes to the production of the voltaic current. Besides employing as the active agents oxygen and hydrogen gases, he extends his experiments to the following combinations: namely, Oxygen and peroxide of nitrogen; Oxygen and protoxide of nitrogen; Oxygen and olefiant gas; Oxygen and carbonic oxide; Oxygen and chlorine; Chlorine and dilute sulphuric acid; Chlorine and solutions of bromine and iodine in alternate tubes; Chlorine and hydrogen; Hydrogen and carbonic oxide; Chlorine and olefiant gas; Oxygen and binoxide of nitrogen; Oxygen and nitrogen, with solution of sulphate of ammonia; Carbonic acid and carbonic oxide, with oxalic acid as an electrolyte; Hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphate of ammonia. The author concludes, on reviewing the whole of this series of experiments, that, with the exception, perhaps, of olefiant gas, which appears to give rise to an extremely feeble current, chlorine and oxygen, on the one hand, and hydrogen and carbonic oxide, on the other, are the only gases which are decidedly capable of electro-synthetically combining so as to produce a voltaic current. He thinks that the vapours of bromine and of iodine, were they less soluble, would probably also be found efficient as electro-negative gases.

VIII. On the movements of the flame in the explosion of gases.

1903 ◽  
Vol 200 (321-330) ◽  
pp. 315-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold Baily Dixon ◽  
E. H. Strange ◽  
E. Graham ◽  
R. Hughes Jones ◽  
J. Bower ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperatures ◽  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
Gaseous Mixture ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
Chemical Action ◽  
Specific Heats ◽  
Careful Measurement ◽  
Humphry Davy ◽  
Rate Of Movement

(1.) On the Rate of Movement of the Flam, and the produced in theExplosion of Gases. Humphry Davy was the first to observe the rate at which an explosion of gases was propagated in a tube, and he also made the first rough experiment on the tem­perature reached in an explosion. When gas from the distillation of coal (which he found more inflammable than fire-damp) was mixed with eight times its volume ofair, and was fired in a glass tube 1 foot long and 1/4 inch in diameter, the flame took more than a second to traverse the tube. When cyanogen mixed with twice its volume of oxygen was fired in a bent tube over water, the quantity of water displaced showed that the gases had expanded fifteen times their original bulk. Bunsen, in 1867, made the first careful measurement of the rate at which an explosion is propagated in gases, and he also made the first systematic researches on the pressure and temperature produced by the explosion of gases in closed vessels. His results led him to the remarkable conclusion that there was a discontinuous combustion in explosions. When electrolytic gas, or when carbonic oxide with haltits volume of oxygen, is fired, only one-third of the mixture is burnt, according to Bunsen, raising the temperature of the whole to about 3000° C. No further chemical action then occurs until the gaseous mixture falls, by cooling, below 2500° C. Then a further combustion begins, and so on<italic>per Saltum</italic>. These deductions were criticised by Berthelot, who pointed out that they assumed the constancy of the specific heats of steam and of carbonic acid at high temperatures.

scholarly journals Dilatation and compressibility of liquid carbonic acid

1920 ◽  
Vol 98 (690) ◽  
pp. 170-182 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Constant Pressure ◽  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
Steel Tube ◽  
Platinum Wire ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The One ◽  
Gas Tight

In a former paper it was pointed out that, in order to determine a starting point for drawing the θ Φ , and І Φ diagrams for CO 2 , it was necessary to know the coefficient of expansion of the liquid at constant pressure. The results of a series of measurements on the dilatation and elasticity of the liquid were given (fig. 11, p. 78), but it was pointed out that the results obtained were not in agreement amongst themselves, though sufficiently accurate for the purpose for which they were needed, and it was stated that a new series of measurements were about to be made. These measurements, delayed by the war, have now been completed and are described in the following paper. The dilatometer used is shown in fig. 1. It consists of a glass burette, to contain the portion of liquid carbonic acid under examination, enclosed in a steel tube capable of withstanding the necessary pressures. The lower end of the burette dips into mercury, which separates the contents from the rest of the liquid which fills the tube. Bound the bulb of the burette a coil of fine platinum wire is wound, which serves as the “bulb” of a platinum thermometer and gives the temperature of the liquid. Inside the burette a long loop of platinum wire is stretched from the top to the bottom; the lower end of this loop is short-circuited by the mercury, so that, by measuring the resistance of the remainder, the height of the mercury in the burette (which cannot be seen inside the steel tube) may be found, and hence the volume of the charge. The connections to these two platinum wires and two additional compensating leads are carried through the vulcanite plug in the top of the steel tube and sealed gas-tight in it by means of small rubber tubes surrounding little brass buttons on the wires, which are drawn tightly into conical holes in the vulcanite. The ends of the steel tube are closed by heavy brass hexagon caps, screwed on, which make gas-tight joints on thin vulcanite washers. The vulcanite plug is supported by a steel washer. The resistances of the two platinum wires are measured with a Callendar and Griffiths bridge, the coils being connected to the bridge alternately by means of a throw-over switch. The one pair of compensating leads serves for both.

On the effect of surrounding media on voltaic ignition

1851 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 783-784
Keyword(s):  
Platinum Wire ◽  
Philosophical Magazine ◽  
The Wire ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Different Gases

The author refers to some experiments of his published in the Philosophical Magazine for December 1845, and in the Bakerian Lecture for 1847, relating to the difference of ignition generated in a platinum wire heated by the voltaic current, when the wire is immersed in atmospheres of different gases. In the present paper these experiments are continued, the current being passed through two platinum wires both in the same voltaic circuit, but immersed in atmospheres of different gases. It appears from these experiments that the heat generated in the wire is less in hydrogen and its compounds than in other gases; and that when the wires and their atmospheres of gas are immersed in given quantities of water, the water surrounding the hydrogenous gases is less heated than that surrounding those which contain no hydrogen.

scholarly journals The Bakerian lecture: On the gaseous state of matter

1876 ◽  
Vol 24 (164-170) ◽  
pp. 455-459 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Pressures ◽  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
Gaseous State ◽  
Acid Gas ◽  
Original Memoir ◽  
Glass Tubes ◽  
The Mean ◽  
State Of Matter ◽  
Mean Time

After referring to certain modifications in his former method of working at high pressures, the author describes some preliminary experiments which were undertaken to determine the change of capacity in the capillary bore of the glass tubes under the pressures employed. From these experiments it appears that, on raising the pressure from 5 to 110 atmospheres, the capacity was increased for each atmosphere by only 0·0000036, and that this change of capacity was chiefly due to compression of the internal walls of the glass tube. Another set of experiments was made to ascertain whether air or carbonic-acid gas is absorbed at high pressures to any appreciable extent by mercury. For the method of operating and other details reference must be made to the original memoir; but the general result is that no absorption whatever takes place, even at pressures of 50 or 100 atmospheres. The pressures are given according to the indications of the air-manometer in the absence of sufficient data (which the author hopes will be soon supplied) for reducing them to true pressures. In the mean time it is probable, from the experiments of Cailletet, that the indications of the air-manometer are almost exact at 200 atmospheres, and for lower pressures do not in any case deviate more than from the true amount. In a note which was published last year in the ‘Proceedings’ of the Society (No. 163), it was staffed that the coefficient of expansion ( a ) for heat under constant pressure changes in value both with the pressure and with the temperature. The experiments on this subject are now completed, and are described at length in this paper. The final results will be found in the two following Tables. In the first Table the values of a are referred to a unit volume at 0º and under one atmosphere. In the first column the pressure p in atmospheres is in terms of the air-manometer.

scholarly journals On a new compound of chlorine and carbon

1833 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 153-153
Keyword(s):  
Carbonic Acid ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
The Other ◽  
Physical And Chemical Properties ◽  
Rock Crystal ◽  
Acid Gas ◽  
Green Glass ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
And Chemical Properties

The above substance was discovered by M. Julien, of Abo, in Finland, amongst the products arising out of the distillation of calcined sulphate of iron, with crude nitre in iron retorts. It forms white acicular crystals by sublimation, and when passed through a green glass tube containing red-hot rock crystal, it is decomposed with the deposition of charcoal and evolution of chlorine. It is not altered by repeated sublimations in chlorine. It was analysed by passing its vapour over red-hot oxide of copper, by which chloride of copper and carbonic acid gas were produced: the former was de­composed by nitrate of silver, and the proportion of chlorine esti­mated by that of chloride of silver formed. From this and other experiments, the authors conclude that this substance consists of one portion of chlorine and two of carbon: they failed in their endea­vours to convert it into either of the other chlorides of carbon, to which, in its physical and chemical properties, it bears however a considerable resemblance.

III. Spectroscopic studies on gaseous explosions. No. I

1883 ◽  
Vol 36 (228-231) ◽  
pp. 471-478
Keyword(s):  
Glass Tube ◽  
Spectroscopic Studies ◽  
The Other ◽  
Platinum Wire ◽  
Iron Tube

Having occasion to observe the spectrum of the flash of a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen fired in a Cavendish eudiometer, we were struck by the brightness, not only of the ubiquitous yellow sodium line, but of the blue calcium line and the orange and green bands of lime, as well as of other lines which were not identified. The eudio­meter being at first clean and dry, the calcium must be derived either from the glass or from some spray of the water over which the gases with which the eudiometer was filled had been confined. It seemed incredible that the momentary flash should detach and light up lime from the glass, but subsequent observations have pointed to that con elusion. Our next experiments were made on the flash of the com­bining gases inclosed in an iron tube, half an inch in diameter and about 3 feet long, closed at one end with a plate of quartz, held in its place by a screw-cap and made tight by leaden washers. Two narrow brass tubes were brazed into the iron tube at right angles to the axis, one near each end, and one of these was connected with an air-pump, the other with the reservoir of gas. Into one of these brass tubes was cemented a piece of glass tube with a platinum wire fused into it whereby the electric spark was passed to fire the gas. The tube was placed so that its axis might be in line with the axis of the collimator of a spectroscope, and the flash observed as it travelled along the tube.

scholarly journals Some researches on flame

1833 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 59-61 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
Platinum Wire ◽  
The Wire ◽  
Humphry Davy ◽  
Lower Temperature ◽  
Sulphuretted Hydrogen

This communication is subdivided into four sections, of which the first treats of the effect of rarefactions of the air, by diminished pressure, upon flame, and explosion. An inflamed jet of hydrogen was placed in the receiver of an air-pump, and the flame was observed to enlarge during exhaustion, till the gauge indicated a pressure of one fourth or one fifth; it then diminished in size, but was not extinguished till the pressure was reduced to between one seventh and one eighth. A somewhat larger jet burned until the rarefaction amounted to one tenth, and rendered the glass tube whence the gas issued white hot. To this circumstance the author refers the long-continued combustion of the gas, and thinks the conclusion confirmed by the following experiment. A platinum wire was coiled round the jet tube, so as to reach into and above the flame, and it became white hot during the exhaustion, and continued red hot even when the pressure was only one tenth. The lower part of the flame was now extinguished, but the upper part in the contact of the wire continued to bum till the pressure was reduced to one thirteenth. The flame, therefore, of hydrogen is extinguished in rarefied atmospheres, whenever the heat it produces is insufficient to communicate visible redness to platinum wire. Sir Humphry Davy was thus led to infer, that those combustibles which require least heat for combustion would burn in rarer atmospheres than those requiring more heat; and that bodies which produce much heat in combustion would burn in rarer air than those producing little heat, and experiments are detailed proving this to be the case: thus, an inflamed jet of light carburetted hydrogen, which produces little heat in combustion, and requires a high temperature for its ignition, was extinguished whenever the pressure was below one fourth, even though the tube was furnished with a wire. Carbonic oxide burned under a pressure of one sixth; sulphuretted hydrogen of one seventh. Sulphur, which burns at a lower temperature than any other ordinary combustible, except phosphorus, had its flame maintained in an atmosphere rarefied 15 times, and phosphuretted hydrogen was inflamed when admitted into the best vacuum of an excellent air-pump. The author next proceeds to consider the influence of rarefaction, produced by heat, upon combustion and explosion. A volume of air at 212° is expanded to 2·25 volumes. At a dull red heat its probable temperature then is 1032°, provided it expand equably for equal increments of heat.

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