PROOFS OF THE PROPERTIES OF NITROGEN GAS.

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If a small animal, such as a mouse or bird, be immersed inthe gas, it instantly dies.

Experiment IV.

Nitrogen gas is capable of combustion with oxigen, at a hightemperature.

Take a barometer tube, the diameter of which is about thesixth part of an inch. Shut one of its ends with a cork, throughthe middle of which passes a small wire, with a ball of metal ateach end. Fill the tube with mercury and invert it into a basonof this fluid. Throw up into the tube as much of a mixture of13 parts of nitrogen gas and 8/ parts of oxigen gas, as will fillthree inches. Through this gas, by means of the wire in thecork, pass a number of electric sparks; the volume of the gasgradually diminishes, and in its place will be found nitrous acid.

Experiment V.

A-mixture of nitrogen gas and oxigen gas, produces artificialatmospheric air.

Introduce into a bell-glass filled with water, four parts of ni-trogen gas and one of oxigen gas; after shaking the mixture welltogether, an air will be formed greatly resembling that of our at-mosphere; for if a lighted taper or any other burning substancebe plunged into this fluid, it will burn in the same manner as itdoes in atmospheric air; it may be breathed with safety', andanimals confined in it will live as long as in an equal quantity ofatmospheric air.

Remark. ..Though we are not capable of producing in thismanner, an air absolutely the same as that of the atmosphere,the fault is not to be attributed to our ignorance of the quantity

O 2