Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and YoungTimbs, John
Science
Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and Young
Timbs, John
Science
WARMING WITH ICE.
In common language, any thing is understood to be cooled or warmed when
the temperature thereof is made higher or lower, whatever may have been
the temperature when the change was commenced. Thus it is said that
melted iron is _cooled_ down to a sub-red heat, or mercury is cooled
from the freezing point to zero, or far below. By the same rule, solid
mercury, say 50° below zero, may, in any climate or temperature of the
atmosphere, be immediately warmed and melted by being imbedded in a
cake of ice.--_Scientific American._
REPULSION BY HEAT.
If water is poured upon an iron sieve, the wires of which are made
red-hot, it will not run through; but on cooling, it will pass through
rapidly. M. Boutigny, pursuing this curious inquiry, has proved
that the moisture upon the skin is sufficient to protect it from
disorganisation if the arm is plunged into baths of melted metal.
The resistance of the surfaces is so great that little elevation of
temperature is experienced. Professor Plücker has stated, that by
washing the arm with ether previously to plunging it into melted metal,
the sensation produced while in the molten mass is that of freezing
coldness.--_R. Hunt, F.R.S._
PROTECTION FROM INTENSE HEAT.
The singular power which the body possesses of resisting great heats,
and of breathing air of high temperatures, has at various times excited
popular wonder. In the last century some curious experiments were
made on this subject. Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Solander, and Sir Charles
Blagden, entered a room in which the air had a temperature of 198°
Fahr., and remained ten minutes. Subsequently they entered the room
separately, when Dr. Solander found the heat 210°, and Sir Joseph
211°, whilst their bodies preserved their natural degree of heat.
Whenever they breathed upon a thermometer, it sank several degrees;
every inspiration gave coolness to their nostrils, and their breath
cooled their fingers when it reached them. Sir Charles Blagden entered
an apartment when the heat was 1° or 2° above 260°, and remained eight
minutes, mostly on the coolest spot, where the heat was above 240°.
Though very hot, Sir Charles felt no pain: during seven minutes his
breathing was good; but he then felt an oppression in his lungs, and
his pulse was 144, double its ordinary quickness. To prove the heat of
the room, eggs and a beefsteak were placed upon a tin frame near the
thermometer, when in twenty minutes the eggs were roasted hard, and in
forty-seven minutes the steak was dressed dry; and when the air was put
in motion by a pair of bellows upon another steak, part of it was well
done in thirteen minutes. It is remarkable, that in these experiments
the same person who experienced no inconvenience from air heated to
211°, could just bear rectified spirits of wine at 130°, cooling oil at
129°, cooling water at 123°, and cooling quicksilver at 117°.
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