220 ®* THF NATURE OF HEAT* 



its particles, I examined the same circumstance in thoge!^. 

 bodies, the form of which precludes the operation of this'^ 

 case, at least to any very considerable extent. The follow? 

 ing table will show the result. 



Capacity, 



Oxigcn gas 5*23&147y 



Hidrogen gas 1 80.0 - / g ^^^ji^ijit 



Atmospheric air r7i>* > \,^,,„j ^ 



Carbonic acid gas l>5681 l *"'*"'*'• 



Nitrogen gas ..'.......• '78169 j 



All gasses then arp found to expand in an equal degree 

 by the same change in temperature; yet how widely dif- 

 ferent are the respective quantities of caloric absorbed! 

 From the above table it appears, that, during a given in- 

 crease of temperature, carbonic acid gas absorbs a quantity 

 of caloric more than twice as great as the same bulk of ni- 

 trogen gas; atmospheric air, and hidrogen gas absorb a 

 quantity still more considerable ; and oxigen gas actually 

 absorbs more than fi\; times this quantity; and still the ex- 

 pansibility is precisely the same in all. 



It is certainly needless to add any remarks on facts such 

 as these; they are indeed truly important. One portion of 

 caloric, the principle of repulsion in these operations, oc- 

 casions an expansion in one case equal to that which 6^ 

 times this quantity does in another : this effect too takes 

 place, when no cause occurs^ to regulate or influence it. 



4. Capacity for Caloric, 

 Capacity for The phenomena of the capacity of bodies for caloric ap- 

 ^^^ pear to me, to be adverse to the opinion of its materiality. 



Caloric is the supposed cause of temperature and of ex- 

 pansion ; yet we communicate caloric to ice, at 32" Fahr., 

 without an increase of its temperature, and with an actual 

 diminution of its bulk. Here then our material agent hag 

 forgotten its functions, and we are obliged to resort to a 



• This statement from calcuUtion agreei neailjf with the results of 

 Mr. Leslie^- expcrVments on these two gasses* The same may be said of 



thp oxt'^en and nitrogen gasses; ^ . zz 1*8958 which, 



4 

 all circumstances considered, is wc^nderfaJly exact, ' 



new 



