INTENSITY OF MAGNETIC AND DIAMAGNETIC FORCES. 'J43 



diamagnetic forces for equal volumes, acting upon water and 

 phosphorus, are in the proportion of 

 100 : 175. 

 This result agrees perfectly with that previously detailed. 

 Such conformity in the results, which were obtained under dif- 

 ferent circumstances, is a confirmation of the accuracy of our 

 view, which, although established as regards magnetism, has 

 only been extended by analogy to diamagnetism as far as relates 

 to the comparison of its intensity. 



44. The alcohol I., which I subjected to examination in the first 

 series of experiments, was found for the same volume to be less 

 strongly diamagnetic than water, although a former, but merely 

 preliminary experiment, had undoubtedly shown that, on the 

 contrary, alcohol is more strongly diamagnetic than water. This 

 appeared to me more surprising, because ordinary spirit-lamp 

 alcohol of 0-85 1 spec. grav. had been substituted for the former 

 alcohol II., whilst the alcohol I. was obtained from a chemical 

 manufactory. To control this result, I again examined the alco- 

 hol 11. on the following day, and then found the previous result 

 confirmed, as also perfectly the weighing made with alcohol I. 

 on the preceding day. It also appeared so improbable that alco- 

 hol, when in combination with a small quantity of water, should 

 be less diamagnetic, and when combined with a larger proportion 

 more so than pure water, that I made a direct experiment to 

 decide this point, by adding water to the alcohol I. This caused 

 but little difference in its diamagnetism, as it apparently — very 

 small quantities were used — more approximated to the diamag- 

 netism of the water. Hence we can only imagine that the alco- 

 hol I. contained iron, or some other magnetic substance, in 

 admixture, which it had probably taken up during its rectifi- 

 cation*. 



With very volatile liquids the evaporation occurring during 

 the experiment is a source of error. This would, however, make 

 the diamagnetism of the fluids in question too great, so that it 

 can afford no explanation in the present case. 



45. The three acids which I subjected to examination are not 

 equally diamagnetic ; hydrochloric acid is the most strongly so, 

 nitric acid comes next, and sulphuric acid last. 



• This supposition is also supported by the circumstance, that ordinary alco- 

 hol burns with a blue flame, whilst in the rectified this was yellow. 



