THE SPECIFIC HEAT OF BODIES. 571 
3.—Method with Gases. The gases must be 
enclosed in proper vessels, whose capacity for 
heat has been previously determined, and then 
the experiments with them may be conducted as 
in the previous cases, using equation 6. Owing 
to the great space occupied by the gases, it will 
be important to employ as little water as possible 
in the standard vessel, and only as much water 
in the experimental vessel, as will be sufficient to 
surround the flask containing the gas. 
Of the three kinds of matter to which I have 
thus shown the applicability of the new method, 
the solids seem to me to present fewer difficulties 
to the old methods than the rest. Consequently 
they are the most fitting to be employed in order 
to compare the results of the old and new methods 
together. Ihave made the following experiments 
for this purpose. 
Five pounds of water were poured into the 
standard vessel, into which a platinum wire, having 
a resistance cf 100, was then immersed. A 
bundle of small sticks of lead weighing 114lbs, 
was placed in the experimental vessel, along with 
4lbs of water, and a platinum conducting wire 
whose resistance was 106. Each vessel was 
