ART. 225 - Observations on the Oxidation of Nitrogen Gas

Summary

The observations here described were made in connexion with the isolation of argon by removal of the nitrogen from air, but they may, perhaps, possess a wider interest as throwing light upon the behaviour of nitrogen itself.

According to Davy, the dissolved nitrogen of water is oxidised to nitrous (or nitric) acid when the liquid is submitted to electrolysis. “To make the experiment in as refined a form as possible, I procured two hollow cones of pure gold containing about 25 grains of water each, they were filled with distilled water connected together by a moistened piece of amianthus which had been used in the former experiments, and exposed to the action of a voltaic battery of 100 pairs…. In 10 minutes the water in the negative tube had gained the power of giving a slight blue tint to litmus paper: and the water in the positive tube rendered it red. The process was continued for 14 hours; the acid increased in quantity during the whole time, and the water became at last very sour to the taste…. The acid, as far as its properties were examined, agreed with pure nitrous acid having an excess of nitrous gas” (p. 6).