Magic tricks -- Juvenile literature; Scientific recreations -- Juvenile literature
The effects produced by pouring carbonic acid gas from one vessel to
another, have a very singular appearance: if a lighted candle be placed
in a jar, and the gas be poured upon it, the flame will be extinguished
in a few seconds, though the eye is incapable of distinguishing that
anything is poured out.
EFFECT OF HYDROGEN ON THE VOICE.
Make a hole through a wine cork of sufficient size to admit a smaller
cork; through which make another hole, and fix it into the larger
one. Tie the corks thus fixed into the neck of a bullock’s bladder,
previously exhausted of air; let a tube from a bottle generating
hydrogen pass very tightly through the aperture in the small cork, and
the gas will distend and fill the bladder. The instant it is full,
withdraw the inner cork, and either prevent the escape of the gas by
means of the thumb, or cork it closely, till the operator is ready to
_breathe the gas_; to do which, he should put the open cork into his
mouth, and take _one_ inspiration, when, on immediately speaking, his
voice will be remarkably shrill. The effect will pass off in a few
seconds.
MAGIC TAPER.
Provide a piece of copper wire, about ten inches long, and fix at one
end of it a piece of wax taper: take a pint bottle of hydrogen, and
place the mouth downwards; light the taper, introduce it into the
bottle, and the gas will take fire, and burn slowly towards the mouth,
where it is in contact with the air. If, however, the taper be passed
up into the bottle, it will be extinguished; but, on gently withdrawing
it through the burning hydrogen, the wick will be rekindled. This may
be done several times in succession with the same portion of gas.
THE GAS CANDLE.
Provide a strong glass bottle which will contain about eight ounces,
or half a pint, into which put a few pieces of zinc; then mix half an
ounce of sulphuric acid with four ounces of water, and pour it into the
bottle upon the zinc; fit the mouth closely with a cork, through which
put a metal tube which ends upward in a fine opening: the mixture in
the bottle will soon effervesce, and hydrogen gas will rise through the
tube. When it has escaped for about a minute, apply a lighted paper to
the tube, and the gas will burn like a candle, but with a pale flame.
Its brightness may be increased to brilliance, by sifting over it a
small quantity of magnesia.
[Illustration]
GAS BUBBLES.
Provide a bladder, fill it with hydrogen gas, to be made as for the
last experiment, and fit the end of a tobacco-pipe closely into the
bladder; dip the bowl of the pipe into soap and water, and, by
pressing the bladder, soap-bubbles will be formed, filled with hydrogen
gas; which bubbles, or balloons, will rise in the air, and keep there
for some time.
GAS-LIGHT IN THE DAY-TIME.
Light a stream of hydrogen gas, and it will be scarcely visible in the
day-light; but place in it a small coil of platinum wire, or project
a little oxide of zinc through the flame, and it will become very
luminous.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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