hy JVater and other Liquids. 23 



When water has absorbed ^.- of its balk of any gas, the 

 stratum of gas on the surface of the water presses with ^- of 

 its force on the water, in the manner pointed out in the last 

 article, and with Jj- of its force on the uppermost stratum 

 of gas in the water : the distance of the two strata of gas 

 must be nearly 27 times the distance of the particles in the 

 incumbent atmosphere, and Q times the distance of the par- 

 ticles in the water. This comparatively great distance of the 

 inner and outer atmosphere aiiscs from the great repulsive 

 power of the latter, on account of its superior density, or its 

 presenting 9 particles of surface to the other 1. When ^'5- 

 is absorbed, the distance of the atmospheres becomes 64 

 times the distance of two particles in the outer, or 16 times 

 that of the inner. The annexed views of perpendicular and 

 horizontal strata of gas in and out of water, will sufBcicntly 

 illustrate these positions. 



7. An equilibrium between the outer and inner atmo- 

 spheres can be established in no other circumstance than 

 that of the distance of the particles of one atmosphere being 

 the same or some multiple of that of the other; and it is 

 probable the multiple cannot be more than 4. Forin this 

 case the distance of the inner and outer atmospheres is such 

 as to make the perpendicular force of each particle of the. 

 former on those particles of the latter that are immediately 

 subject to its influence, physically speaking, equal ; and 

 the same may be observed of the small lateral force. 



8. The greatest difhculiy attending the ni(x-hanical hypo- 

 thesis, arises from different gases observing different laws. 

 Why does water not admit its bulk of eveiy kind of "-as 

 alike? — This question I have duly considered : and though 

 I am not yet able to satisfy myself completely, I am nearly 

 persuaded that the circumstance depends upon the wci<'-ht 

 and number of the ultimate particles of tin: several o-ascs j 

 those whose particles are lightest and single being least ab- 

 sorbable, and the others more, according as they increase 

 m weight and complexity*. An inquiry into the relative 

 'veighls of the ultimate particles of bodies, is a subject, a? 



Subsequent experience renders this conjcclure less pro'uable. 



B 4 f.ir 



