Page:The Liquefaction of Gases.djvu/23

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Liquefaction of Gases.
19

The pressure of its vapour at the temperature of 50°, is equal to about 40 atmospheres.


Chlorine.

The refractive power of fluid chlorine is rather less than that of water. The pressure of its vapour at 60° is nearly equal to 4 atmospheres.

Attempts have been made to obtain hydrogen, oxygen, fluoboracic, fluosilicic, and phosphuretted hydrogen gases in the liquid state; but though all of them have been subjected to great pressure, they have as yet resisted condensation. The difficulty with regard to fluoboric gas consists, probably, in its affinity for sulphuric acid, which, as Dr. Davy has shown, is so great as to raise the sulphuric acid with it in vapour. The experiments will however be continued on these and other gases, in the hopes that some of them, at least, will ultimately condense.




III. HISTORICAL STATEMENT RESPECTING
THE LIQUEFACTION OF GASES
[1].

I WAS not aware at the time when I first observed the liquefaction of chlorine gas[2], nor until very lately, that any of the class of bodies called gases, had been reduced into the fluid form; but, having during the last few weeks sought for instances where such results might have been afforded without the knowledge of the experimenter, I was surprised to find several recorded cases. I have thought it right therefore to bring these cases

  1. [From The Quarterly Journal of Science, vol. xvi. (January 1824), pp. 229-240.]
  2. Phil. Transactions, 1823, pp. 160, 189.