On new compounds of carbon and hydrogen, and on certain other products obtained during the decomposition of oil by heat / [Michael Faraday].

  • Faraday, Michael, 1791-1867
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On new compounds of carbon and hydrogen, and on certain other products obtained during the decomposition of oil by heat / [Michael Faraday]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    bi-carburet of hydrogen, of which it would of course be a saturated solution at o°. Its boiling point was very constantly i86°. In its general characters of solubility, combustibility, action of potassium, &c. it agreed with the substance already described. Its specific gravity was 0.86 at 6o°. When raised in vapour 1.11 grain of it gave 1.57s cubic inches of vapour at 2120, equal to 1.212 cubic inches at 6o°. Hence 100 cubic inches would weigh about 91.6 grains, and its specific gravity would be 43.25 nearly. In another experi- ment, 1.72 grains gave 2.4 cubic inches at 2120, equal to 1.849 cubic inches at 6o°; from which the weight of 100 cubic inches would be deduced as 93 grains ; and its specific gravity to hydrogen as 44 to 1. Hence probably the reason why, experimentally, the specific gravity of bi-carburet of hydrogen in vapour was found higher, than by theory it would appear to be when pure. Sulphuric acid acted much more powerfully upon this sub- stance than upon the bi-carburet: great heat was evolved, much discolouration occasioned, and a separation took place into a thick black acid, and a yellow lighter liquid, resisting any further action at common temperatures. 0.64 grains of this substance were passed over heated oxide of copper ; 4.51 cubic inches of carbonic acid gas were obtained, and 0.6 grains of water. The carbonic acid and water are equivalent to Carbon - 0.573176, or 8.764 Hydrogen - 0.066666 1. but as the substance must have contained much bi-carburet of hydrogen, it is evident that, if in a pure state, the carbon would fall far short of the above quantity, and the compound