ABSORPTION OF THE GASES. 2^,5 



It is a wonder that Dr. Prieftiey, who feems to have been 

 the firft to notice tfiis fad, (houkl have made any difficulty of 

 U; — the lofs of gas has evidently a mechanical caufe ; the 

 agitation divides the air into an infinite number of minute 

 bubbles, which may be feen pervading the whole water ; thefe 

 are fucceffively driven out from under the margin of the glafs 

 into the trough, and fo efcape. 



13. If old ftagnanf water be in the trough, in the laft ex- Old ftagnant 

 periment, and almofpheric air be the fubjeft, the oxygenous ^^*'^'^* 



gas will very foon be almoft wholly extra6led, and leave a re- 

 ■fiduum of azotic gas; but if the water be fully impregnatod 

 with atmofpheric air at the beginning, the refiduary gas ex- 

 amined at any time will be pure atmofpheric air. 



14. If any gas not containing either azotic or oxygenous Agitation of gas 



gas, be agitated over water containing atmofpheric air, the °''^'" "™™°" 

 o » o . . water gives out 



refiduum will be found to contain both azotic and oxygenous oxygen and azote 



15. Let a quantity of water contain equal portions of any The efcape of 

 two or more unequally abforbabla gafes : For inftance, azotic ^y gas from 

 gas, oxygenous gas, and carbonic acid gas ; then, let the water j^g the oreffure' 

 be boiled or fubje£|ed to the air-pump, and it will be found will be greater 

 that unequal portions of the gafes will be expelled. The ^y^]*^^* *''^°^^'' 

 azotic will be the greateft part, the oxygenous next, and the 



crarbonic acid will be the leaft. For, the previous impregna- 

 tion being fnch as is due to atmofpheres of the following rela- 

 tive forces nearly : 



Azotic - - - 21 inch, of mercury. 



Oxygenous - - 9 



Carbonic agid - i 

 confequently, when thofe forces are removed, the refilietjcy 

 of the azotic gas will be the greatefl, and that of the carbonic 

 acid the leaft; the last will even be fo fmall as not to over- 

 come thecohefion of the water without violent agitation. 



Remarks on the Authority of the preceding Fads. 



In order to give the chain of fads as diftinfl as poflible, I Remarks on 



have not hitherto mentioned by whonj or in what manner they ^^^ .^ °/ ,* 

 ^ ■' lorption of gafej 



were afcertained. by denfe flvids. 



The fact mentioned in the firft article has been long known ; *'^* 

 a doubt, however, remained refpeding the quantity of air frill 

 y 2 left 



