Rev. J. B. Emmett on Capillary Attraction. 335 



Exp A. Solution of sulphate of copper A = 95 d = 54 



water H = 113 ^ = 58 



1 vol. of solution + 1 vol. water h' = 108 

 By the formula, h' = 103-6. 



Exp. 5. Alcohol h = 7- d = 100 



Water H = 22- e = US 



1 vol. alcohol + 1 water //' = VS. 



By formula (b), h = — 9*3 ; but by experiment ?i = 7. 



By formula (a), h' = 15-2 ; by experiment h' = 7'8. 

 Hence the altitude to which any liquid, mixture or combina- 

 tion of liquids is raised, does not depend solely upon the den- 

 sity or densities of the substances concerned : this is evident 

 from Exp. 5 ; in which, 100 by weight of water, added to 83 

 of alcohol, causes an addition of y^^th only to the colunrn of 

 pure alcohol ; although the height of the column of water : that 

 of alcohol : : 100 : 40*8. ' So extraordinary a phaenomenon can- 

 not result from any mechanical law depending upon the rela- 

 tive weight or specific gravity of the component parts ; it is more 

 analogous to chemical attraction, and capillary phsenomena 

 will afford a measure of corpuscular forces, as well as of their 

 increase and decrease, so far as depends upon distance. 



The phaenomena of alcohol present apparent anomalies; 

 but they are so constant, that a thorough investigation will de- 

 velop some of the primary laws of corpuscular forces : the 

 appearances may be partially accounted for by considering that 

 alcohol consists of the elements of 51 "15 olefiant (bicarbu- 

 retted hydrogen) gas, and 31*85 water; the former of which 

 must be repulsive to glass, since a small quantity of alcohol 

 greatly depresses a column of water : thus, 100 water + 83 

 alcohol rose to 6*66 elev. ; 1 vol. of this mixture + 3 water 

 rose to 10*5; 1 vol. mixture + 7 water was elevated 13; 

 water alone 16 : in this experiment (since 100 alcohol consists 

 of 61'63 olefiant gas + 38*37 water), 100 of the mixture, 

 proof strength, contains 27*95 olefiant gas + 72*05 water; its 

 altitude was 6*66 ; pure water 16 ; 27*95 olefiant gas + 372*05 

 water rose to 10-5; 27*95 olefiant gas + 772*05 water rose 

 but to 13; i.e. if to 100 parts by weight of water, 3*62 of 

 liquid bicarburetted hydrogen gas, as it exists in alcohol, be 

 added, the column is less by jj^th than that of pure water. 



If the altitude k, to which the liquid olefiant gas alone will 

 rise, be calculated, we find by the experiment on alcohol, that 

 it is — 2*2 ; whilst, by that on the mixture of equal volumes 

 of alcohol and water, it is about —29. 



Whether these curious results arise from an actual force of 

 repulsion between the glass and the olefiant gas, or whetlier 

 it arises simply from the cohesive force of the upper strata of 



the 



