Page:Experimental researches in chemistry and.djvu/138

1844.] substances, namely, water, sulphurous acid, cyanogen, ammonia, arseniuretted hydrogen, sulphuretted hydrogen, muriatic acid, carbonic acid, olefiant gas, &c., justify any conclusion respecting a general law, it would appear that the more volatile a body is, the more rapidly does the force of its vapour increase by further addition of heat, commencing at a given point of pressure for all; thus for an increase of pressure from two to six atmospheres, the following number of degrees require to be added for the different bodies named: water 69°, sulphurous acid 63°, cyanogen 64°.5, ammonia 60°, arseniuretted hydrogen 54°, sulphuretted hydrogen 66°.5, muriatic acid 43°, carbonic acid 32°.5, nitrous oxide 30°; and though some of these numbers are not in the exact order, and in other cases, as of olefiant gas and nitrous oxide, the curves sometimes even cross each other, these circumstances are easily accounted for by the facts already stated of irregular composition and the inevitable errors of first results. There seems every reason therefore to expect that the increasing elasticity is directly as the volatility of the substance, and that by further and more correct observation of the forces, a general law may be deduced, by the aid of which, and only a single observation of the force of any vapour in contact with its fluid, its elasticity at any other temperature may be obtained.

Whether the same law may be expected to continue when the bodies approach near to the Cagniard de la Tour state is doubtful. That state comes on sooner in reference to the pressure required, according as the liquid is lighter and more expansible by heat and its vapour heavier, hence indeed the great reason for its facile assumption by ether. But though with ether, alcohol and water, that substance which is most volatile takes up this state with the lowest pressure, it does not follow that it should always be so; and in fact we know that ether takes up this state at a pressure between thirty-seven and thirty eight atmospheres, whereas muriatic acid, nitrous oxide, carbonic acid and olefiant gas, which are far more volatile, sustain a higher pressure than this without assuming that peculiar state, and whilst their vapours and liquids are still considerably different from each other. Now whether the curve which expresses the elastic force of the vapour of a given fluid for increasing temperatures continues undisturbed after that fluid