FROrERTIES OF NITROGEN GAS

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NITROGEN GAS.

PART XVII.

SECT. I.

PROPERTIES OF NITROGEN GAS.

Nitrogen gas, or azotic gas as it is also called, is not posses-sed of any remarkable property capable of characterizing it; but isprincipally distinguished by certain negative qualities, namely:It is extremely hurtful to respiration, and quickly kills animals.*Plants thrive and even flourish in it. It has no sensible taste.It neither reddens blue vegetable colours, nor precipitates lime,or barytic-water. Its weight is to common air, as .gS5 to 1.000.No combustible substance burns in nitrogen gas; but it iscapable of combustion in combination with oxigen gas whenexposed to the action of the electric spark. It is not absorbable bywater. It is capable of dissolving sulphur, phosphorus and char-coal in minute quantities. It unites to hidrogen under certainconditions, and constitutes with it ammonia. When united tooxigen in different proportions it produces atmospheric air, gaze-ous oxid of azote or nitrogen, nitrous gas, nitrous acid and nitric

* Hence the name axon which signifies " destructive to life” from *and