AZOTE, or nitrogen, in chemistry, a gas that forms the unrespirable part of the atmospheric air, and it exists in the proportion of about 78 per cent, by bulk, or 74 per cent. in weight. The proper ties by which this gas was first distin guished were principally negative, in direct opposition to those of oxygen, the other constituent of the atmosphere : the latter supporting combustion and animal life in an eminent degree, while the for mer was found to be immediately fatal to animals; hence its name azote, or the ex tinguisher of life. Oxygen also produces a great change in almost all metallic sub stances, which is known by the term oxy dation ; azote, on the contrary, not only extinguishes life and flame immediately, but produces no change whatever on combustible bodies immersed in it.
This gas is obtained by the following methods : if a quantity of iron filings and sulphur, mixed together, with a little water, he put into a glass receiver full of atmospheric air, it will in a few days ab sorb all the oxygen, and the remainder will be azote, or more properly azotic gas. Phosphorus may be substituted for the iron filings and sulphur, and the ab sorption will be completed in 24 hours. Diluted nitric acid, poured on muscular flesh, and the heat of 100° applied, will furnish azotic gas. By whatever means obtained, its properties are always the same ; viz. it is invisible and elastic : it has no smell : its specifie gravity is about .98, or, according to Mr. Davy, .978; 100 cubic inches of it weighs upwards of 30 grains ; it cannot be breathed by animals without instant suffocation ; and it is not sensibly absorbed by water. Azote is a constituent part of all animal bodies : it is the cause of the production of ammonia ; and in certain proportions with oxygen, it forms the nitric acid : according to the experiments of Mr. Davy, nitric acid is
formed of 29.5 of azote 70.5 of oxygen.
The composition of nitric acid was dis covered by Mr. Cavendish, and hence is explained how the putrefaction of animal matters is favourable to the production of nitre. It is from this combination that azote obtained the name of nitrogen, or the base of nitric acid: this, indeed, seems the preferable term, azote only implying the general property of destroying life, which is common to many of the other gases. Azote, in its different stages of oxydation, becomes nitrous oxide, nitrous gas, as well as nitric acid.
In experiments, azote is detected chief ly by its negative properties. Gas may be inferred to be azotic, if it instantly ex tinguishes a taper immersed in it, and at the same time is not sensibly absorbed by wateror liquid alkali ; nor renders lime Water turbid; which does not blacken 11 The second letter of the alphabet, and first consonant, is formed in the voice by a strong and quick expression of the breath, and opening of the lips, and is therefore one of the labials : as a mute, it bath a middle power between the smooth sound of F, and the rougher sound of F and V.
B is also used as an abbreviation : thus, in music, B stands for the tone above A, as Bb, or bB, does for B flat, or the semi tone major above A: B also stands for bass, and B. C. for basso continuo, or tho rough bass. As a numeral, B was used by the Greeks and Hebrews, to denote 2 ; but among the Romans, for 300, and with a dash over it (thus for 3000.