210 



SCIENTIFIC AMUSEMENTS. 



tuents, which then burn each to its respective compound with 

 oxygen. The burning of this fluid in a room with closed doors and 



windows affords a 

 convenient means 

 of producing an 

 atmosphere charged 

 with sulphur di- 

 oxide for the pur- 

 pose of disinfecting 

 clothing, bedding, 

 &c. in cases of con- 

 tagious diseases and 

 similar illnesses. 



Expt.244. Com- 

 bustion of Alcohol. 

 Alcohol when 

 burnt in a spirit 

 lamp similarly gives 

 rise to two differ- 

 ent products, both 

 gaseous at the 

 temperature of the 

 flame ; one, carbon 

 dioxide, is still gase- 

 ous after cooling ; 

 Fig. 91. Oxygen Alcohol Blowpipe Flame. tne other, water 



vapour, condenses on cooling. The production of these two sub- 

 stances may be proved in much the same way as that above 

 described for an ordinary candle flame (p. 200) ; a cold tumbler held 

 over the flame becomes bedewed with condensed water ; whilst an 

 inverted jar held over the flame will contain some carbon dioxide, 

 which will render lime water turbid on quickly pouring some into 

 the jar and shaking up before the hot gases have time to escape. 



If a spirit lamp flame be blown on one side by means of a jet of 

 oxygen so as to produce an oxy alcohol blowpipe flame (Compare 

 Expt. 211) most of the effects producible by an oxy hydrogen flame 

 can be imitated, as the resulting flame is intensely hot ; a piece of 

 chalk or marble placed so that the flame impinges on it will glow 

 intensely and emit a brilliant light ; steel springs or thin iron nails 

 held in the flame will be heated sufficiently to burn and scintillate 

 brightly, especially if a good supply of oxygen is afforded so that 

 there may be a surplus to combine with the iron as well as to burn 

 the alcohol. Fig. 91 indicates a convenient way of producing an 

 oxygen alcohol blowpipe flame. 



