SON 



SOR 



rated, and the mixed fluid is then a 

 saturated solution of the substance which 

 it contains. 



1. Chemical solution. This term de- 

 notes that a perfect chemical union of 

 the solid with the liquid is produced, in 

 accordance with the laws of definite pro- 

 portions. Both the constituents of the 

 compound exhibit a change in their pro- 

 perties, and are combined in an entirely 

 new substance formed by their union, 

 "Which substance, on the completion of 

 the process, generally assumes a solid 

 form, that is, it becomes crystallized. 



2. Mechanical solution. This is the 

 mere union of a solid with a liquid, in 

 such a manner that its aggregate form is 

 changed without any alteration being 

 effected in the chemical properties of 

 either the solid or its solvent. If the 

 latter be separated from the solution, as 

 by heat, the former which has been dis- 

 solved is obtained again with its chemi- 

 cal properties unaltered. 



3. Moist and dry solutions. In the 

 former, at least one of the bodies, the 

 solvent, must be a liquid ; in the latter, 

 both of the substances are solids, and 

 liquefaction must be brought about by 

 means of heat before any combination 

 will take place. Bronze, for instance, is 

 such a solution of copper and tin. 



SO'LVENT {solvo, to dissolve). A 

 fluid which causes the solution of a solid 

 or aeriform body ; chemically, a men- 

 struum. Some of the most powerful 

 solvents are the sulphuric, nitric, and 

 chloric acids. 



SOMMERVILLITE. A new mineral 

 from Vesuvius, occurring in cavities with 

 crystallized black mica. 



SO'MMITE. Nepheline. Rhomboidal 

 felspar, occurring, in drusy cavities, at 

 Monte Sorama, near Naples, in granular 

 limestone. 



SONFFEROUS BODIES. For the 

 production of sound there is required, 

 besides the sonorous body, one that is 

 adapted to convey the sound, or rather 

 the vibrations, of the former body to the 

 ear : bodies of this class are called soni- 

 ferous bodies, and they are such as can 

 transmit the vibrations, imparted to 

 them by the sonorous bodies, in all 

 directions throughout their mass, and 

 with equal velocity. 



SONO'METER. An apparatus for 

 illustrating the phenomena presented by 

 sonorous bodies, and the ratios of their 

 vibrations, by the transverse vibrations 

 of tense cords. See Monochord. 

 308 



SONOROUS FIGURES. This sub- 

 ject has been already noticed under the 

 term Nodal Lines. To make these figures 

 visible, and to render them permanent, 

 strew some fine sand on a disc of glass 

 or metal ; hold the disc firmly between 

 two fingers, and draw a violin-bow down 

 on its edge, and a musical note will be 

 heard ; at the same instant the sand will 

 be in motion and gather itself to those 

 parts which continue at rest, i. e, to the 

 nodal lines. The figures may also be 

 seen if a small quantity of water be 

 poured on the plate, nay, even by the 

 rays of light falling on it. 



SO'PHISM {a6(j)iaixa, a captions 

 argument, a fallacy). An argument 

 which appears true, but is fallacious. 

 Sophisms are generally traceable to the 

 assumption of doubtful premises, or the 

 assumption of a hypothetical cause. 



SORBIC ACID. An acid obtained 

 from the berries of the Sorbus aucuparia, 

 or Mountain Ash. It appears that the 

 sorbic and pure malic acids are identical. 

 Sorbates are compounds of sorbic or 

 malic acid with the salifiable bases. 



SORE'DIA (dim. of o-wpof, a heap). 

 Globuli ; glomeruli. Small heaps of 

 powdery bodies lying upon any part of 

 the surface of the thallus of lichens. 

 The bodies of which the soredia are 

 composed, are called conidia by Link, 

 and propagula by others. 



SORI'CID^. The Shrew tribe; a 

 family of the insectivorous vertebrata, 

 consisting of a kind of carnivorous mice, 

 which, though they do not burrow, like 

 the talpidae, retire into holes during the 

 winter for repose, and are partially 

 aquatic in their habits. 



SORI'TES (o-wpetrrjc, heaped up, from 

 au)pb^, a heap). In logic, a heap of syllo- 

 gisms, the conclusion of each forming the 

 premiss of the next in order. In the 

 abridged . form in which this argument 

 occurs, the predicate of the first pro- 

 position is made the subject of the 

 next ; and so on, to any length, till, 

 finally, the predicate of the last of the 

 premises is predicated (in the conclusion) 

 of the subject of the first : e. g. A'lsB, 

 B is C, C is D, D is E ; therefore A is E. 



SORO'SIS {<T(ap6^, a heap). A collec- 

 tive fruit, consisting of a juicy spike or 

 raceme, having all its ovaria and floral 

 envelopes cohering into a single mass, as 

 in the mulberry, the pine-apple, the 

 bread-fruit, &c. 



SORUS (<ra)p6?, a heap). The botani- 

 cal term for each cluster of sporuliferous 



