3981. Ammonia

3981.    Ammonia. Pure ammonia is an incondensable colorless gas, possessing great pungency and acridness, and powerful alka-line properties. "Water readily absorbs about 500 times its volume of this substance, and in this state forms strong liquid ammonia, which, when much more dilute, is popularly known as spirits of hartshorn, or water of ammonia. As usually met with in the form of a semi-crystalline whitish mass, commonly called smelling salts, it is combined with carbonic acid, and water, forming a sesquicarbonate of this base. According to the theory of Berzelius, ammonia should be the oxide of ammonium, a supposed but undiscovered metal. Its presence can always be detected by its pungent odor.

3982. To Obtain Ammonia

3982.    To Obtain Ammonia. Mix un-slacked lime with an equal weight of sal-ammoniac, both dry and in fine powder; introduce the mixture into a glass retort, and join the beak by a collar of India-rubber to a glass tube about 18 inches long, which must lie horizontally, and have its beak bent up ready to be placed under a glass jar, on the shelf of a mercurial pneumatic trough. Heat being applied by means of a spirit-lamp, and the air contained in the apparatus having been expelled, the gas may be collected for use. Ammonia cannot be dried by means of chloride of calcium.

3983. Lithia

3983.    Lithia. This is the oxide of lithium ; is caustic, alkaline, and sparingly soluble in water. One of its most remarkable properties is its power of corroding platinum. In the form of the hydrate it is white and translucent, does not deliquesce, but absorbs carbonic acid and becomes opaque. It is to be obtained from various minerals, and is also found in some mineral waters; among which is that of the Gettysburg spring. Pure lithia may be obtained by decomposing sulphate of lithia by acetate of baryta, and by expelling the acetic acid from the filtered solution by heat.

3984. Tests for Lithia

3984.    Tests for Lithia. It colors the flame of alcohol containing it a carmine red. It is distinguished from potassa and soda by its phosphate and carbonate being only sparingly soluble in water; from baryta, strontia, and lime, by forming crystallizable and soluble salts with sulphuric or oxalic acid; and from magnesia, by the solution of its carbonate exhibiting an alkaline reaction.

3985. Baryta

3985.    Baryta. This alkaline earth is the oxide of barium, and is found abundantly in the form of native sulphate and carbonate of baryta. "With the acids it forms salts which are all more or less white; except the sulphate, they are soluble in water, or in dilute muriatic acid, and are extremely poisonous.

3986. To Obtain Pure Baryta

3986.    To Obtain Pure Baryta. Ignite pure crystallized nitrate of baryta in a capacious porcelain crucible, until red vapors cease to be evolved. This forms a grayish white mass or powder, which, on the addition of water, slacks like lime, but with the evolution of more heat.