+----------+---------------+--------------+--------------+ | | | |Product of the| | | | |weight of each| | |Specific heats,|Weights of the| atom by the | | | that of water |atoms, that of|corresponding | | | being 1 |oxygen being 1| capacity. | +----------+---------------+--------------+--------------+ |Bismuth | 0.0288 | 13.300 | 0.3830 | |Lead | 0.0293 | 12.950 | 0.3794 | |Gold | 0.0298 | 12.430 | 0.3704 | |Platinum | 0.0314 | 11.160 | 0.3740 | |Tin | 0.0514 | 7.350 | 0.3779 | |Silver | 0.0557 | 6.750 | 0.3759 | |Zinc | 0.0927 | 4.030 | 0.3736 | |Tellurium | 0.0912 | 4.030 | 0.3675 | |Copper | 0.0949 | 3.957 | 0.3755 | |Nickel | 0.1035 | 3.690 | 0.3819 | |Iron | 0.1100 | 3.392 | 0.3731 | |Cobalt | 0.1498 | 2.460 | 0.3685 | |Sulphur | 0.1880 | 2.011 | 0.3780 | +----------+---------------+--------------+--------------+ The inference intended from this Table is pretty obvious, namely, that the atoms or ultimate particles of the above bodies contain or attach to themselves the same quantity of heat, or have the same capacity. This principle the authors think will apply to the simple atoms of all bodies, whether solid, liquid, or elastic; but they hold it does not apply to compound atoms. It differs therefore essentially from a suggestion of mine, made eighteen years ago, (see Vol. I. page 70,) that _the quantity of heat belonging to the ultimate particles of all elastic fluids, must be the same under the same pressure and temperature_. They seem to apprehend, from experience, that a very simple ratio exists between the capacities of compound atoms and that of the elementary atoms. They draw another inference from their researches, that the heat developed at the instant of the combination of bodies, has no relation to the capacity of the elements; this loss of heat, they argue, is often not followed by any diminution in the capacity of the compounds. They seem to think that electricity developes heat in the act of combination; but they do not deny that a change of capacity may sometimes ensue, and heat be developed from this cause. _Remarks on the above Essays._