Laws of Absorption of Liquids by Porous Substances. 505 



The results of this experiment, on being compared with those 

 of Experiments I. and VII., show that the diffusibility of turpen- 

 tine on unsized paper is the same as that of water, and that its 

 diffusibility on calico is somewhat less than that of water. 



Taking the diffusibility of water on calico as unity, we get 

 from equation (10), 



Diffusibility of turpentine on calico = \/ =-8124. 



In like manner, taking the absorbing power of the unsized 

 paper A in relation to turpentine as unity, 



/2*9 

 The absorbing power of the calico = a / r— 



1-3. 



Experiment IX. 



The absorbents used in this experiment were strips of linen 

 and unsized paper. The liquids were distilled water, and a solu- 

 tion of starch containing 1 part of starch to 100 parts of water. 



L. Linen absorbent weighing *8 gr. per square inch. 



E. Unsized paper absorbent. 



The results of this experiment show that the diffusibility of 

 the solution of starch is very low as compared with that of water. 



Taking unity as the diffusibility of water on each of the absorb- 

 ents respectively, the diffusibility of the solution of starch on 



/2'25 



the paper absorbent will be expressed by a /— — =*67; 



whereas on the calico absorbent it will be expressed by 



1*5 



— ='77. Whence it appears that the diffusibility of liquids 



<vO 



varies with the nature of the absorbent. In comparing, however, 

 the absorbing powers of two substances with each other, as a 

 Phil. Mag. S. 4. No. 136. Suppl. Vol. 20. 2 L 



V: 



