Experiments and observations on the atomic theory, and electrical phenomena / By William Higgins.

  • Higgins, William, 1763-1825.
Date:
1814
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments and observations on the atomic theory, and electrical phenomena / By William Higgins. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/194 (page 14)
    to diminish its aggregate attraction, is exposed to oxygen gas, each particle will enter into union with one, two, or more particles of oxygen, according to the na- ture of the metal operated upon, for dif- ferent metals unite with different doses of oxygen. If an ultimate particle of a metal is only capable of uniting but to a single ultimate particle of oxygen, the ag- gregate mass of the atoms of such oxide are unable to influence any more oxygen. This seems to be a general law throughout the whole system of chemistry ; even when two atoms unite, the compound becomes surrounded with one common atmosphere of caloric, and rejects a third atom of either of its constituents. In short, there is a limit to the proportions in which the particles of elementary matter, as well as those of atoms, unite, which the old che- mists expressed by the term saturation, and the modern ones by that of definite proportions. The former having no know- ledge of the atomic system, could not ex- tend their ideas on this subject beyond gross volumes.