210 Domestic Science 



the gas- jar, G, is no longer capable of supporting the 

 burning of a candle. We do not yet know, however, 

 whether it can support the burning of other bodies. 

 We will therefore try to burn something else in the jar. 

 Phosphorus is a suitable substance. 



It is so highly inflammable that it is kept in bottles 

 filled up with water, and must be handled with the 

 greatest care. 



EXPERIMENT 78. From a stick of phosphorus, cut 

 off a small piece about the size of a pea, the phosphorus 

 being held under water in a dish. Remove the phos- 

 phorus from the water with a pair of crucible tongs, 

 place it on several sheets of blotting- (or filter-) paper, 

 and press it gently between the sheets, carefully avoiding 

 contact between the fingers and the phosphorus. When 

 the phosphorus has been quite dried in this manner, 

 transfer it by means of dry tongs to a small spoon, 

 called a deflagrating -spoon, similar to that shown at 

 S in Fig. 64. The spoon should have 

 a long wire handle as shown and this may 

 either be pushed through a piece of card- 

 board like that used in Experiment 77, 

 or, as is more usually done, pushed 

 through a piece of cork, K, contained in 

 a small cup on the upper side of the brass 

 cap C. Ignite the phosphorus by holding 

 the spoon for a moment in the flame of 

 a Bunsen burner. Remove the candle , 



from the jar used in Experiment 77, and ^&-' 

 at once lower the burning phosphorus into Fig ' 64< 

 the jar till the brass cap rests on the mouth of the jar. 

 (Be careful to arrange beforehand the length of wire 

 between spoon and cap so that the former does not 



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