The Atmosphere composed of Oxygen and Nitrogen in the State of Gas.
--Definition of Gas. --Distinction between Gas and Vapour. --Oxygen
essential to Combustion and Respiration. --Decomposition of the
Atmosphere by Combustion. --Nitrogen Gas obtained by this Process.
--Of Oxygenation in general. --Of the Oxydation of Metals. --Oxygen
Gas obtained from Oxyd of Manganese. --Description of a Water-Bath
for collecting and preserving Gases. --Combustion of Iron Wire in
Oxygen Gas. --Fixed and volatile Products of Combustion. --Patent
Lamps. --Decomposition of the Atmosphere by Respiration.
--Recomposition of the Atmosphere.

CONVERSATION VII.

ON HYDROGEN. 214

Of Hydrogen. --Of the Formation of Water by the Combustion of
Hydrogen. --Of the Decomposition of Water. --Detonation of Hydrogen
Gas. --Description of Lavoisier's Apparatus for the formation of
Water. --Hydrogen Gas essential to the Production of Flame.
--Musical Tones produced by the Combustion of Hydrogen Gas within a
Glass Tube. --Combustion of Candles explained. --Gas lights.
--Detonation of Hydrogen Gas in Soap Bubbles. --Air Balloons.
--Meteorological Phenomena ascribed to Hydrogen Gas. --Miner's Lamp.

[Transcriber's Note:
The final two pages of the Table of Contents for Volume I were
missing; everything after "Decomposition of Water" was supplied
from earlier and later editions, compared against the body text.
The section marked "Diamond" (Conv. IX) was called "Diamond is
Carbon(e) in a state of perfect purity" in the 4th edn., "Diamond"
alone in later editions.]

CONVERSATION VIII.

ON SULPHUR AND PHOSPHORUS. 256

Natural History of Sulphur. --Sublimation. --Alembic. --Combustion
of Sulphur in Atmospheric Air. --Of Acidification in general.
--Nomenclature of the Acids. --Combustion of Sulphur in Oxygen Gas.
--Sulphuric Acid. --Sulphurous Acid. --Decomposition of Sulphur.
--Sulphurated Hydrogen Gas. --Harrogate, or Hydro-sulphurated
Waters. --Phosphorus. --History of its Discovery. --Its Combustion
in Oxygen Gas. --Phosphoric Acid. --Phosphorus Acid. --Eudiometer.
--Combination of Phosphorus with Sulphur. --Phosphorated Hydrogen
Gas. --Nomenclature of Binary Compounds. --Phosphoret of Lime
burning under Water.

CONVERSATION IX.

ON CARBON. 282

Method of obtaining pure Charcoal.