514. REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 



Get some bright iron nails {wire or French nails) and try the experiment; at 

 the same time expose some naDs in a saucer along with a little water — not 

 enough to cover them. Scarcely any rusting takes place in the bottle, while 

 outsiide the bottle the nails rust considerably. Why is this — what was the 

 difference between the two experiments? If air were present in the one case 

 and not in the other and in some way play a part, it may be possible by watching 

 the air to find out if it be concerned. Shut some air up over water along with 

 some wetted iron. Some of the air disappears — how much — is the amount 

 definite ? — make sure by repeating the experiment several times. What is the 

 remaining air like — ie it unchanged air — how will you try r Think of a test. 

 Have you not made a great discovery about air when you take into account 

 what you had previously learnt in your experiments on burning? What wiU 

 you call this active part of air — may it not, for the time, be called Fire air — the 

 air which, in some way, gives rise to fire j or rust air, if you will? In the latter 

 case, however, the name has reference to a less striking property of the air 

 or gas ; it is less significant though appropriate in its way. What becomes of 

 the ' Fire air ' as the iron rusts — it changes the iron into rust, is it in the rust ? 

 If this be so, what must happen as the iron rusts — iron rust, when you handle 

 it, seems to be a much lighter substance than iron (find its exact density as 

 wpII as that of iron) but is the rusted iron lighter or heavier than the unrusted ? 

 Try! 



The result of this experiment should leave no doubt in your mind that iron 

 rust is formed by the association or combination of the active gas in air with 

 the iron — that it is a compound of iron with the active gas. It is clear also, 

 is it not ? that in some way the water plays a part — as the- rusting only takes 

 place when the air and water act together — what that part is cannot be deter- 

 mined at present, however. 



Probably you never suspected that the kitchen range, the fender and the 

 fire irons were in any way to be associated with your food except that they 

 were of use in preparing it — that they could be brought- into relation with it 

 through air and water cannot well have entered into your thoughts. Is not 

 the lesson a very valuable one — is it not one that teaches you that no opportunity 

 is to be neglected — that eyes must always be open and willing to see, willing 

 also to send messages to the brain ? 



Is not the formation of a substance such as iron rust from the metal iron 

 very remarkable ? Compare them carefully in every way you can and consider 

 the nature or properties of the two substances. The one, like metals generally, 

 is bright or lustrous when polished and is relatively heavy ; it can be bent 

 and beaten and drawn out without breaking — its strength being one reason 

 why it is so useful. Rust, however, is quite unlike a metal — it has no strength 

 and is easily powdered. What does it most resemble, eepecially when powdered? 

 Red earth, does it not? It may be best described as an earthy substance — in 

 fact, in some parte of our country, in Devonshire particularly, the soil looks 

 just like iron rust and red soils are frequently met with. You may have noticed 

 too that burnt clay is not unlike iron rust. Burn some clay, if you have not. 



W^hat is iron itself — is it found anywhere; if not, how is it made? It is 

 well worth while to inquire what is known of the early use of iron and to 

 consider how, probably, the way to make it was first found out. It is made 

 from ironstone — from iron ores as they are called, some of which are very 

 like iron rust and others like hardened clay. It is made from an earth, in 

 fact — by smelting or heating the earth together with charcoal or coke. You 

 know that carbon burns in air — in the active part of it (Fire air) that is to 

 say : does it perhaps associate with the Fire air as the iron does in rusting and 

 does it release the iron in the ore when it is smelted with it by depriving it 

 of Fire air? Questions such as these are not to be answered without further 

 study. 



Study of Bttrning. 



As food and fire seem to be closely connected, it may be well now to study 

 fire a little more fully and carefully. How do we produce fire — in the morning 

 when lighting the fire ; or at any other time ? You say at once — by striking 



I 



