260 



Dr. Thomas Thomsons Experiments on the 



withstanding all these trials, the anomaly continued. I 

 cannot, therefore, consider it as a mistake in the experi- 

 ments ; but must conclude, that it is owing to something 

 peculiar in the nature of the compound. 



As the liquids experimented upon were always contained 

 within the same flask, it is clear, that in order to obtain 

 correctly the time of cooling of each liquid, we must sub- 

 tract from the time as given in the above table, the number 

 of seconds which the empty flask took to cool 40°, which 

 amounted to 21 5 "'S. 



This is done in the following table : 



Sp.heatsof 

 equal wts. 



5505 

 1978 

 2591 

 2635 

 2878 

 3132 

 3353 

 3539 

 3688 

 3855 

 3964 



Sp. heats 

 water= 1-000 



1-0000 

 0-3593 

 0-4707 

 0-4786 

 0-5228 

 0-5690 

 0-6091 

 0-6429 

 0-6699 

 0-7003 

 0-7201 



The numbers in the second column exhibiting the time 

 of cooling of 24 cubic inches of the various liquids are 

 obviously proportional to the specific heats of equal 

 volumes of these liquids. If we divide the numbers in the 

 second column by the specific gravities of the respective 

 liquids exhibited in the third column of the table, the 

 quotients will represent the specific heats of equal weights 

 of these liquids. These quotients are given in the fourth 

 column of the table. But, as the specific heat of water is 

 usually received uniting, a fifth column has been added, 

 representing the specific heat of the various compounds of 

 sulphuric acid and water, on the supposition that the 

 specific heat of an equal weight of water is I'OOOO. This 

 column is deduced from the fourth by a simple and obvious 

 arithmetical calculation. 



To put it in our power to judge how far the opinion first 

 started by Dr. Irvine, and afterwards supported by Dr. 

 Crawford, and, indeed, by every chemist who has since 



