Conversations on Chemistry Part 74

There is no danger of it, my dear; the lightning can affect but a very small portion of the atmosphere, and though it were occasionally to produce a little nitric acid, yet this never could happen to such an extent as to be perceivable.

EMILY.

But how could the nitric acid be known, and used, before the method of combining its const.i.tuents was discovered?

MRS. B.

Before that period the nitric acid was obtained, and it is indeed still extracted, for the common purposes of art, from the compound salt which it forms with potash, commonly called _nitre_.

CAROLINE.

Why is it so called? Pray, Mrs. B., let these old unmeaning names be entirely given up, by us at least; and let us call this salt _nitrat of potash_.

MRS. B.

With all my heart; but it is necessary that I should, at least, mention the old names, and more especially those which are yet in common use; otherwise, when you meet with them, you would not be able to understand their meaning.

EMILY.

And how is the acid obtained from this salt?

MRS. B.

By the intervention of sulphuric acid, which combines with the potash, and sets the nitric acid at liberty. This I can easily show you, by mixing some nitrat of potash and sulphuric acid in this retort, and heating it over a lamp; the nitric acid will come over in the form of vapour, which we shall collect in a gla.s.s bell. This acid, diluted in water, is commonly called _aqua fortis_, if Caroline will allow me to mention that name.

CAROLINE.

I have often heard that aqua fortis will dissolve almost all metals; it is no doubt because it yields its oxygen so easily.

MRS. B.

Yes; and from this powerful solvent property, it derived the name of aqua fortis, or strong water. Do you not recollect that we oxydated, and afterwards dissolved, some copper in this acid?

EMILY.

If I remember right, the nitrat of copper was the first instance you gave us of a compound salt.

CAROLINE.

Can the nitric acid be completely decomposed and converted into nitrogen and oxygen?

EMILY.

That cannot be the case, Caroline; since the acid can be decomposed only by the combination of its const.i.tuents with other bodies.

MRS. B.

True; but caloric is sufficient for this purpose. By making the acid pa.s.s through a red hot porcelain tube, it is decomposed; the nitrogen and oxygen regain the caloric which they had lost in combining, and are thus both restored to their gaseous state.

The nitric acid may also be partly decomposed, and is by this means converted into NITROUS ACID.

CAROLINE.

This conversion must be easily effected, as the oxygen is so slightly combined with the nitrogen.

MRS. B.

The partial decomposition of nitric acid is readily effected by most metals; but it is sufficient to expose the nitric acid to a very strong light to make it give out oxygen gas, and thus be converted into nitrous acid. Of this acid there are various degrees, according to the proportions of oxygen which it contains; the strongest, and that into which the nitric is first converted, is of a yellow colour, as you see in this bottle.

CAROLINE.

How it fumes when the stopper is taken out!

MRS. B.

The acid exists naturally in a gaseous state, and is here so strongly concentrated in water, that it is constantly escaping.

Here is another bottle of nitrous acid, which, you see, is of an orange red; this acid is weaker, the nitrogen being combined with a smaller quant.i.ty of oxygen; and with a still less proportion of oxygen it is an olive-green colour, as it appears in this third bottle. In short, the weaker the acid, the deeper is its colour.

Nitrous acid acts still more powerfully on some inflammable substances than the nitric.

EMILY.

I am surprised at that, as it contains less oxygen.

MRS. B.

But, on the other hand, it parts with its oxygen much more readily: you may recollect that we once inflamed oil with this acid.

The next combinations of nitrogen and oxygen form only oxyds of nitrogen, the first of which is commonly called _nitrous air_; or more properly _nitric oxyd gas_. This may be obtained from nitric acid, by exposing the latter to the action of metals, as in dissolving them it does not yield the whole of its oxygen, but retains a portion of this principle sufficient to convert it into this peculiar gas, a specimen of which I have prepared, and preserved within this inverted gla.s.s bell.

EMILY.

It is a perfectly invisible elastic fluid.

MRS. B.

Yes; and it may be kept any length of time in this manner over water, as it is not, like the nitric and nitrous acids, absorbable by it. It is rather heavier than atmospherical air, and is incapable of supporting either combustion or respiration. I am going to incline the gla.s.s gently on one side, so as to let some of the gas escape--

EMILY.

How very curious! --It produces orange fumes like the nitrous acid! that is the more extraordinary, as the gas within the gla.s.s is perfectly invisible.

MRS. B.

It would give me much pleasure if you could make out the reason of this curious change without requiring any further explanation.

CAROLINE.