138 CONSTITUTION OF LIQUIDS. 



has attempted to explain why liquids differ so 

 greatly in their volatility. Boyle supposed that 

 their tenacity was owing to the grossness of their 

 particles, while Newton referred their volatility 

 to the smallness of their particles. Neither of 

 these hypotheses, which are nearly the same, 

 is in accordance with the present state of science. 

 The proximate atoms of water are less than those 

 of alcohol, asther, and various other liquids that 

 are more elastic and volatile at the same tempe- 

 ratures. The atoms of nitrous and nitric acids, 

 of sulphuretted and phosphuretted hydrogen, of 

 chlorine, hydrochloric acid, and many other gase- 

 ous bodies, are larger than those of carbon, sul- 

 phur, phosphorus, silicium, calcium, &c. Yet 

 the former are much more volatile and elastic 

 than the latter. The atoms of aetherine, sulphu- 

 rous acid, muriatic aether, (which is composed of 

 astherine and hydrochloric acid) protoxide of 

 chlorine, &c. are larger than those of water or 

 hydrocyanic acid, the elasticity of which is much 

 inferior.* 



Such facts prove conclusively, that the elastic 

 force of gases and liquids is not determined alone 



* Lucretius observes that light passes through scraped horn, 

 which wine and water will not do, because the particles of the 

 latter are too large ; but that water and wine percolate strainers 

 more readily than oils, because the latter are composed of larger 

 particles, or of particles that are hooked. (De Natura Rerum, 

 Book II.) 



