ii Proceedings. \October i6th, igoo. 



Ordinary Meeting, October i6th, 1900. 

 Horace Lamb, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



The thanks of the members were voted to the donors of the 

 books upon the table. 



Prof. H. B. Dixon, F.R.S., communicated a summary of 

 the results of experiments, conducted in conjunction with 

 Mr. F. W. Rixon, B.Sc. on the specific heat of gases at high 

 temperatures. 



As part of a larger investigation, the authors have determined 

 directly the specific heat of carbonic acid, up to 4oo^C., at 

 constant volume. The gas is screwed up in a mild steel cylinder, 

 which is heated in a gas oven running on rails. The oven and 

 cylinder can thus be brought quickly over the calorimeter, into 

 which the cylinder falls through trap doors forming the bottom 

 of the oven. The transference is thus effected with a minimum 

 loss of heat. The difficulties arising from splashing and from 

 escape of steam, are overcome by dropping the cylinder into a 

 glass tube dipping some distance below the water. The glass 

 tube breaks at a crack made in the neck, and thus ensures a 

 complete immersion of the hot cylinder at a good depth in the 

 water, which closes over the cylinder in a cataract. 



A similar experiment being performed with the empty 

 cylinder, the difference gives the heating effect of the gas. 



The results given below for CO., shew that the method, which 

 it is hoped may still be improved, is a workable one. 



The authors are now measuring the specific heat of nitrogen 

 in the same way. 



