Calorific Power of various Liquids. 427 



in question, the expression, perhaps, will be most suit- 

 able. 



It is always the same power; it is that by means of 

 which any body resists the action of surrounding bodies, 

 and which tends to change its temperature either by in- 

 crease or diminution. 



Much obscurity has been introduced into the science 

 by vague ideas being attached to the words hot and cold; 

 but it will not suit my purpose to enlarge upon this 

 subject at present. I have already delivered my opinion 

 in a former paper. 



The little heat which I discovered in the condensation 

 of alcohol having induced me to think that the specific 

 heat of this liquid had not been accurately determined, 

 and wishing to know it precisely, in order to enable me 

 to finish the calculations which were necessary for eluci- 

 dating the results of some of my experiments, I con- 

 structed a small and very simple apparatus, by the help 

 of which I could easily, and as I presume accurately, 

 determine it. 



This apparatus consists of a small bottle of a particu- 

 lar form, constructed of thin leaves of red copper, in- 

 tended to contain the liquid which is to be the subject of 

 the experiment ; and a small cylindrical vase, also con- 

 structed of thin pieces of red copper, in which I place 

 water at a certain temperature. Into this water I plunge 

 the bottle of copper containing the liquid which is the 

 subject of the experiment; this liquid being of a differ- 

 ent temperature from that of the water in the outer vase. 



As the capacity of the vase for heat, as well as that 

 of the bottle, is known, I determine, by a very simple 

 calculation, the capacity for heat of the liquid contained 

 in the bottle. This calculation, which is well known, is 



