176 Dr. Thomas Thomsons Experiments 



The same diversity appears in the constitution of the 

 residue as in the amount of the absorption. But the mean 

 derived from the ten trials is, that the air after standing 

 from 1 to 8 days on newly boiled water is composed of, 



12*8 volumes oxygen gas, 

 87*2 volumes azotic gas. 

 It is obvious from this, that a greater quantity of oxygen 

 has been absorbed than of azotic gas, for the air before it 

 was placed over the water (leaving out of view the carbonic 

 acid and vapour which it contained) was composed of, 



20 volumes oxygen, 

 80 volumes azotic gas. 



As the original volume of air was one cubic inch, which 

 we suppose divided into 100 parts we will obtain the volume 

 of oxygen and azotic gases absorbed in each trial by sub- 

 tracting the volumes of oxygen in the table page 175 from 

 20, and the volumes of azotic gas from 80. The following 

 table shows the result, and exhibits the volume of oxygen 

 and azotic gas absorbed in each trial : 



Vols, of Oxygen absorbed. Vols, of Azotic gas absorbed. 



1st 9-84 3-07 



•^ 2nd 3-28 6-10 



3rd 1^-29 15-64 



4th 13-78 



5th 8-49 4-78 



6th 6-56 7-78 



7th 6-63 12-68 



8th 6-58 11-64 



9th 9-52 10-58 



10th 15-41 7-87 



The want of coincidence in these trials is very surprising. 

 But the mean of the whole is that ten cubic inches of water 



absorbed, 



•0924 cubic inch of oxygen, 



•0801 cubic inch of azotic gas. 

 So that 100 cubic inches of water would absorb, 

 0*924 cubic inch of oxygen, 

 0*801 cubic inch of azotic gas. 



1*725 



