PROOFS OF THE PROPERTIES OF SILEX.

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SECT. II.

EXPERIMENTAL PROOFS

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THE PROPERTIES OF SILEX.

Experiment I.

Si lex when mixt with water does not form a cohesive compound,lut separates instantly.

Let any quantity of silex and water be mingled together in aphial, the silex will instantly separate, and the water remaintransparent as before.

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Experiment II.

Silex is not acted on by any acid except the fluoric.

Put a determinate quantity of silex in a Florence flask, andboil it in any quantity of sulphuric, nitric, muriatic, acetic, &c.acid; on decanting the acid and examining the earth when dry,it will be found to have sustained no loss of weight. A proofthat the acid has dissolved nothing.

Experiment III.

Silex is soluble in fluoric acid.

Put one part of silex into twelve of fresh prepared fluoric acid,.contained in a leaden or tin bottle, close the bottle with a stopper