Experiments of Candle Wicks, Qc. 123 



Common Wax, -•-'--•-----18 



Tallow with flat Wick composed of three Cords, 

 each containing 5 threads, -------17. 



Tallow with one Wick, containing 20 threads, - 15 

 Tallow with two Wicks, each containing 5 threads, lli 

 Tallow with three Wicks, each containing 5 threads, 2Gsj 

 It has been ascertained by experiment, that the luminous 

 effect is increased or diminished in proportion to the square 

 of the distance; therefore, if one body produces the same 

 effect at the distance of sixteen inches as another at twelve 

 inches, the illuminating power is as nine to sixteen. This 

 principle enables us to find out the comparative quantity of 

 light emitted from each of these Candles. But for our 

 present purpose it is sufficient to say, that the Candle with 

 three Wicks, containing in all fifteen threads, produces in 

 burning the same effect at the distance of 26.^ inches as that 

 with two Wicks, containing in both ten threads at the distance 

 of 18 inches, and the same as that with one Wick, containing 

 twenty threads at the distance of 15 inches, and so with 

 regard to the others. 



In endeavouring to ascertain the effect produced by dimi- 

 nishing the size of the Wick, using as before a Wax Candle as 

 the standard, I obtained the following results : 



Wax, - - - - 18 



Tallow with three Wicks, each containing 5 threads, 16^ 



IHtto, ditto, ditto, 4 threads, 23| 



Ditto K ditto, ditto, 3 threads, 21 1 



A circumstance which influences the illuminating effect, is 



the distance at which the Wicks are apart from each other, as it 



increases till they are at the distance of a quarter of an inch, 



beyond which when five threads compose the Wick, two flames 



are formed, but does not materially diminish at a distance of 



one-third of an inch, when the flames are completety separate. 



The most eligible distance would be a quarter of an inch, but 



as in burning they sometimes vary their position, approaching 



to or receding from each other, the distance of one-sixth of an 



inch is to be preferred at which we may always obtain one 



flame from both. 



On endeavouiing to ascertain the comparative quantity of 

 light evolved from a given quantity of Tallow, using a common 

 Tallow Candle and one with two Wicks, I found that when 

 both are kept snuffed closely, there is but little difference ; in 

 one experiment the quantity of Tallow consumed in half an 

 hour, care being taken (luring the time to keep the flame in 

 each equal, being of the 



Common Tallow Candle, - - - 68 grs. 



Candle with two Wicks, - - - 66 grs. 



In another experiment the quantity consumed was the sun 



