Mr. T. Tate's Experimental Researches on the 



B, whilst the pan rests upon the stage; AD a ground plate 

 covering the top of the jar, having an orifice through its centre 

 to allow the wire G S to pass freely through it. 



The absorbent being carefully graduated from its lower edge, 

 was suspended for some time in the humid air of the jar A B ; 

 the paper and hook, thus suspended, was balanced by weights 

 placed in the opposite pan of the balance ; the stage was then 

 lowered until the edge, H, of the absorbent came in contact with 

 the water. When the liquid had arrived at the different marks 

 upon the absorbent, the beam of the balance was elevated so as 

 to withdraw the absorbent from contact with the water ; in this 

 position the increased weight of the absorbent was determined, 

 and the weight thus found was entered in the second column of 

 the following Table. The numbers entered in the third column 

 are the weights in grains requisite to break the contact of the 

 absorbent with the water ; and the numbers in the fourth column 

 are the differences between the corresponding numbers in the 

 second and third columns. The absorbent used in this experi- 

 ment was unsized paper, 1*5 inch in width and 6 inches in 

 length. 



It will be seen how nearly the value of w, obtained from the 

 formula w=2'6 S, coincides with the experimental results in the 

 second column of the Table. Hence we conclude that the liquid 

 is equally diffused over the surface of the absorbent. 



As this result was not anticipated, its truth was tested in the 

 following manner : — 



A similar strip of unsized paper, 10 inches long and 1*5 inch 

 wide, was suspended with its lower extremity in contact with the 

 liquid, as in the foregoing experiment. When the liquid had 

 reached the top of the absorbent, the augmentation of weight 

 due to the liquid absorbed was determined. After the absorbent 

 had been thoroughly dried it was cut transversely through the 

 middle, and the process was repeated with this half portion. 

 The following results were obtained :— - 



Weight of liquid absorbed by the 10-inch strip = 22 03 grs. 

 Weight of liquid absorbed by the 5-inch strip = 1095 grs. 



