must only be produced to a coarse powder, lest they run into lumps, and prevent the gasses from getting through their interstices.
We must be provided before hand with a sufficient quantity of oxygen gas, carefully purified from all admixture of carbonic acid, by long contact with a solution of potash[1].
We must likewise have a double quantity of hydrogen gas, carefully purified in the same manner by long contact with a solution of potash in water. The best way of obtaining this gas free from mixture is, by decomposing water with very pure soft iron, as directed in Exp. 3. of this chapter.
Having adjusted every thing properly, as above directed, the tube Hh is adapted to an air-pump, and the baloon A is exhausted of its air. We next admit the oxygen gas so as to fill the baloon, and then, by means of pressure, as is before mentioned, force a small stream of hydrogen gas through its tube Dd', which we immediately set on fire by an electric spark. By means of the above described apparatus, we can
- ↑ By potash here is meant, pure or caustic alkali, deprived of carbonic acid by means of quick-lime: In general, we may observe here, that all the alkalies and earths must invariably be considered as in their pure or caustic state, unless otherwise expressed.—E. The method of obtaining this pure alkali of potash will be given in the sequel.—A.
