34 



CHEMISTRY, GEOLOGY 



Fig. 14. 



water only, and sugar and gum contain exactly 

 the same elements as starch and the fibre of 

 wood. Now, as water contains hydrogen and 

 oxygen, the substances which consist of carbon 

 and water really contain carbon, hydrogen and 

 oxygen. (See Appendix, 20.) 



That water really contains on- 

 ly hydrogen and oxygen gases, 

 may be very easily proved by 

 burning hydrogen in oxygen. 

 Put into the bottle (Fig. 14) 

 a few old nails, or clippings of 

 zinc, and pour upon them sul- 

 phuric acid diluted with four or 

 five times its measure of water. 

 Hydrogen gas will thus be formed 

 rapidly. Having put the stem 

 lr of a tobacco-pipe through a cork, 

 the size of the neck of the bottle, 

 close it therewith. The gas will soon rise through 

 the pipe. When the gas has escaped a few 

 minutes, the jet may be lighted from a match. 



Questions. Can you tell me any other substances which 

 contain only carbon and water ? What do those substances 

 which contain only carbon and water really consist of? 

 How can you show that water contains only hydrogen and 

 oxygen ? 



