Page:The Liquefaction of Gases.djvu/56

52 general appearance of bichromate of potassa; it was moderately hard, brittle and translucent; and the crystals were perfectly clear. It melted at the temperature of 75° below 0°, and the solid portion was heavier than the liquid.

When in the solid state it gives off so little vapour that the eye is not sensible of its presence by any degree of colour in the air over it when looking down a tube four inches in length, at the bottom of which is the substance. Hence the pressure of its vapour at that temperature must be very small.

Some hours after, wishing to solidify the same portion of euchlorine which was then in a liquid state, I placed the tube in a bath at -110°, but could not succeed either by continuance of the tube in the bath, or shaking the fluid in the tube, or opening the tube to allow the full pressure of the atmosphere; but when the liquid euchlorine was touched by a platinum wire it instantly became solid, and exhibited all the properties before described. There are many similar instances amongst ordinary substances, but the effect in this case makes me hesitate in concluding that all the gases which as yet have refused to solidify at temperatures as low as 166° below 0°, cannot acquire the solid state at such a temperature.

Nitrous oxide.—This substance was obtained solid by the temperature of the carbonic acid bath in vacuo, and appeared as a beautiful clear crystalline colourless body. The temperature required for this effect must have been very nearly the lowest, perhaps about 150° below 0°. The pressure of the vapour rising from the solid nitrous oxide was less than one atmosphere.

Hence it was concluded that liquid nitrous oxide could not freeze itself by evaporation at one atmosphere, as carbonic acid does; and this was found to be true, for when a tube containing much liquid was freely opened,