The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-03-01
For The Mountain Democrat
The spectrOscOpe.

world, seems to have created a revolution
in the manner Of Analysing chemical SUBJ
stances.
1t may be interesting to some to know
the steps by which this discovery has
been made, and also to know some of the
results that have proceeded from its APP
plication.
In order to give some idea Of its princi-
Piles, it is necessary to refer to the great
discovery by Sir Isaac Newton, of the
analysis Of light He found that if beam
of light passed through a prism it was
bent from its course and separated into
seven colors, which, falling on a screen,
formed an oval image called a spectrum.
In 1901, hundred years after New
TOYS discovery, DR.. Wallostop GN9s3 Stat
ira ray of light before entering the prism
is passed through narrow slit, the spec
trum is crossed by several dark lines
Much study has since been given to this
subject by learned men, who have found
on close examination of the spectrum
with q magnifying glass, that there are
severak Thousand Of these dark lines, the
investigating Of which has led to the new
plan Of spectral analysis.
1t has also been G'VOd that when any
1aetol is burned in a culorlesS flame, it
gives peculiar color to the flame, and If
spectrum Of light thus produced is form
ed by passing the light through a narrow
slit in a screen and then through the
prism, bright lines will be seen extending
across the spectrum, the light from Que
metal having lines in one part of the spec
trum, and those Of another metal in anoth-
er part, but the characteristic lines from
each metal are invariably the same
Messrs. kirchhotf and Bunsen, wAR have
conducted long series or experiments
with the Spectroscope, are satisfied that
the appearance Of certain bright lines may
be considered as absolute proof of the
presence in the flames Of certain metals,
and that by this method bodies may he
recognized with more certainty, with
greater Quickness, and in smaller quanti-
ties, than by any other known method
of analysis. The extreme dclicacy of this
test will be seen by the minute quantity
that is required to produce the lines on
the spectrum, 100, 100000 of a MILL
gramme Of sodium being sufficient to form
a distinct yellow sodium lines The reac.
ton of potassium is not quite so delicate,
the spectrum containing but two lines and
these occurring at points where the eye
almost ceases to be sensitive to the rays !;
the presence Of l-l000 of a milligramme
can however be readily distinguished
Lithium gives two sharply defined lines
one very faint yellow, the other bright
red line, both toward the extreme end of
the Solar spectrum; although the reaction
is not so sensitive as with sodium, il is By
far the most delicate test for this metal
we have. Strontium, Barium, and Caleb
um all give characteristic spectra. Stron.
tium shows eight lines, six red, one or
ange and one blue. While experimenting
with this metal, Bunsen and kirchhoff
threw up in the air of the room, pinch
Of the chloride, and having thoroughly
mixed the air by rapidly moving an UNI
brella, the lines Immediately came out and
showed the presence Of strOntium in the
atmosphere. The barium spectrum is
distinguished by two distinct green lines.
Calcium gives broad green, and bright
orange line, near the red end of the spec
trum; 6l0,000,000 of a milligramme of
the chloride Of the metal could easily be-
detected.
1t is worthy of note that the spectra-
reactions of different metals do not inter.
fcrc with each other, for each being dis
tinguiShcd by their own characteristic
inns, it Is easy to make a quaiitive @nay-
sis of compound containing several Gle.
ments Thus Bunsen and KirchhoT were
enabled to exhibit the reactions of potas.
stun, sodium, lithium, calcium aud stron-
tium in several mineral waters. BY this
meaus also they have discovered and ad-
ded to the list of metals, Thallium, Rubi-
dunn, and Casium. The discovery OF
this last was made while working on the
residue Of mineral water; and having
obtained spectrum which gave lines as
characteristic as those of lithium and So
dium, but which were blue and not refer
able to any known element these indefat
igable chemists evaporated no less than
twenty tons of water, and obtained 24O
grains Of the platinum salt of the new
metal, which they called cpsum; its
atomic weight is 1894, after gold and
iodine the highest on the list of metals.
Such are some of the results that have
followed the application of this wonderful
discovery, which is now engaging the at
tention of philosophers on both continents,
and by which they have been enabled to
demonstrate that potassium, nickel, and
iron enter into the composition of the
suns body.
A milligrammeis. Ol54 ola Troy grain.
MORE RAsCALITY.-Mr Outon, the Re-
publican Senator from SiSkyou county,
hos d;so6yarod Hroscol;I,0 in tha or;.