{Muriatic acid}, hydrochloric acid, {HCl}; -- formerly called
also {marine acid}, and {spirit of salt}. See
{hydrochloric}, and the Note under {Muriate}.
Note: Thus, hydrochloric acid ({HCl}) dissociates, in aqueous
solution, into the hydrogen ion, H^{+}, and the
chlorine ion, Cl^{-}; ferric nitrate, {Fe(NO3)3},
yields the ferric ion, Fe^{+++}, and nitrate ions,
NO3^{-}, NO3^{-}, NO3^{-}. When a solution containing
ions is made part of an electric circuit, the cations
move toward the cathode, the anions toward the anode.
This movement is called migration, and the velocity of
it differs for different kinds of ions. If the
electromotive force is sufficient, electrolysis ensues:
cations give up their charge at the cathode and
separate in metallic form or decompose water, forming
hydrogen and alkali; similarly, at the anode the
element of the anion separates, or the metal of the
anode is dissolved, or decomposition occurs.
2. One of the small electrified particles into which the
molecules of a gas are broken up under the action of the
electric current, of ultraviolet and certain other rays,
and of high temperatures. To the properties and behavior
of ions the phenomena of the electric discharge through
rarefied gases and many other important effects are
ascribed. At low pressures the negative ions appear to be
electrons; the positive ions, atoms minus an electron. At
ordinary pressures each ion seems to include also a number
of attached molecules. Ions may be formed in a gas in
various ways.
The faith they have in tennis, and tall stockings,
Short blistered breeches, and those types of travel.
--Shak.
2. Form or character impressed; style; semblance.
Thy father bears the type of king of Naples. --Shak.
3. A figure or representation of something to come; a token;
a sign; a symbol; -- correlative to antitype.
A type is no longer a type when the thing typified
comes to be actually exhibited. --South.
4. That which possesses or exemplifies characteristic
qualities; the representative. Specifically:
(a) (Biol.) A general form or structure common to a number
of individuals; hence, the ideal representation of a
species, genus, or other group, combining the
essential characteristics; an animal or plant
possessing or exemplifying the essential
characteristics of a species, genus, or other group.
Also, a group or division of animals having a certain
typical or characteristic structure of body maintained
within the group.
Since the time of Cuvier and Baer . . . the
whole animal kingdom has been universally held
to be divisible into a small number of main
divisions or types. --Haeckel.
(b) (Fine Arts) The original object, or class of objects,
scene, face, or conception, which becomes the subject
of a copy; esp., the design on the face of a medal or
a coin.
(c) (Chem.) A simple compound, used as a mode or pattern
to which other compounds are conveniently regarded as
being related, and from which they may be actually or
theoretically derived.
Note: The fundamental types used to express the simplest and
most essential chemical relations are hydrochloric
acid, {HCl}; water, {H2O}; ammonia, {NH3}; and methane,
{CH4}.
5. (Typog.)
(a) A raised letter, figure, accent, or other character,
cast in metal or cut in wood, used in printing.
(b) Such letters or characters, in general, or the whole
quantity of them used in printing, spoken of
collectively; any number or mass of such letters or
characters, however disposed.
Note: Type are mostly made by casting type metal in a mold,
though some of the larger sizes are made from maple,
mahogany, or boxwood. In the cut, a is the body; b, the
face, or part from which the impression is taken; c,
the shoulder, or top of the body; d, the nick
(sometimes two or more are made), designed to assist
the compositor in distinguishing the bottom of the face
from the top; e, the groove made in the process of
finishing, -- each type as cast having attached to the
bottom of the body a jet, or small piece of metal
(formed by the surplus metal poured into the mold),
which, when broken off, leaves a roughness that
requires to be removed. The fine lines at the top and
bottom of a letter are technically called ceriphs, and
when part of the face projects over the body, as in the
letter f, the projection is called a kern. The type
which compose an ordinary book font consist of Roman
CAPITALS, small capitals, and lower-case letters, and
Italic CAPITALS and lower-case letters, with
accompanying figures, points, and reference marks, --
in all about two hundred characters. Including the
various modern styles of fancy type, some three or four
hundred varieties of face are made. Besides the
ordinary Roman and Italic, some of the most important
of the varieties are -- Old English. Black Letter. Old
Style. French Elzevir. Boldface. Antique. Clarendon.
Gothic. Typewriter. Script. The smallest body in common
use is diamond; then follow in order of size, pearl,
agate, nonpareil, minion, brevier, bourgeois (or
two-line diamond), long primer (or two-line pearl),
small pica (or two-line agate), pica (or two-line
nonpareil), English (or two-line minion), Columbian (or
two-line brevier), great primer (two-line bourgeois),
paragon (or two-line long primer), double small pica
(or two-line small pica), double pica (or two-line
pica), double English (or two-line English), double
great primer (or two-line great primer), double paragon
(or two-line paragon), canon (or two-line double pica).
Above this, the sizes are called five-line pica,
six-line pica, seven-line pica, and so on, being made
mostly of wood. The following alphabets show the
different sizes up to great primer. Brilliant . .
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
{Hydrochloric acid} (Chem.), hydrogen chloride; a colorless,
corrosive gas, {HCl}, of pungent, suffocating odor. It is
made in great quantities in the soda process, by the
action of sulphuric acid on common salt. It has a great
affinity for water, and the commercial article is a strong
solution of the gas in water. It is a typical acid, and is
an indispensable agent in commercial and general chemical
work. Called also {muriatic, & chlorhydric, acid}.