Cyclopædia

AQUA

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Written by: Ephraïm Chambers

Parent Category: Natural History

Category: Hydrology

Created: 01 January 1728

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AQUA, in natural History, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, etc. See WATER. The Word is pure Latin, and supposed to be compounded of a and qua, q.d. from which; alluding to the Opinion that Water is the Basis or Matter of all Bodies.

Aqua fortis, is a corrosive Liquor, serving as a Menstruum wherewith to dissolve Silver, and all other Metals except Gold.
See MENSTRUUM, DISSOLUTION, METAL, etc.
Aqua fortis is made of Salt-Petre, which is the only Salt that will act on Silver.
See NITRATE, SALT-PETRE, and SILVER.
To prepare Aqua fortis, they mix either Sand or Alum, or Vitriol, or the two last together, with the Salt-Petre; then distill it by a violent Fire; and catch the Fumes, which condensing in the Receiver, are the Aqua fortis.
If some of those Matters be not added to the Nitre, it runs too readily, and thus prevents the Evaporation; but when the Fusion is prevented, the parts of the Salt receiving more violent Impressions from the Fire, are converted into a volatile Spirit. If to the Spirit of Nitre thus distilled, Sea-Salt or Sal-Ammoniac be added; it commences Aqua Regia, and will no longer dissolve Silver, but Gold. See AQUA REGIA.
Hence, to try whether or no Aqua fortis be pure; put a Grain of a Solution of Silver in Aqua fortis, into a like Quantity of the Water in question: and if the Solution remains without either the Water’s turning milky, or the Silver precipitating, the Aqua fortis is pure.
Aqua fortis is commonly held to have been invented about the Year 1300; though others will have it to been known in the Time of Avicenna. Aqua fortis is a Liquor of various and extensive Use.— Aqua fortis is very useful to Refiners for parting or separating Silver from Gold and Copper. See PARTING, REFINING, etc.
To the Workers in Mosaic, for staining and coloring their Woods. See MOSAIC. To Dyers in their Colours, and particularly Scarlet.
See DYEING, COLOUR, SCARLET, etc.
To other Artists, for the coloring of Bone and Ivory, which is done by steeping the Matters therein, after first tinging it with Copper, or Verdigris, etc. Some also turn it into Aqua Regia, by dissolving in it a fourth of its weight of Sal-Ammoniac, and then stain therewith Ivory, Hairs, and Bones, of a fine purple Colour. There are, also, Book-Binders, who throw it on Leather, and thereby make fine marble Covers for Books.

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