Mifiellanea Curiofa. 209 



of a greater fpccifick Gravity than the Vegeta- 

 ble, as the Particles of it unite and combine 

 in fuch Number, till they form a Molecula, the 

 Impetus of whofe Gravity furpaffes that of the 

 Refiftance of the Water, fubfides a great deal 

 of it to the bottom. Nor does it only fall 

 down it felf, but frequently entangling with the 

 Vegetable Nubecula forces them down along with 

 it. 



The Reafbn why Bodies, when diffolved and 

 reduced to extreme fmall Parts, are fuftain'd 

 in Liquors that are of lefs fpecifick Gravity^than 

 thofe Bodies are, hath been pointed at by a 

 late ingenious Member of this 

 Society *. He is indeed far * Mr. W. MoU* 

 from having adjufted all the »™*> Pbilofophi- 

 Momenta of this Affair ; how- ^Tranf.No.iBu 

 ever it muft be admitted, thar, 

 in the dividing or folution of Bodies, their Sur- 

 faces do not decreafe in the fame Proportion 

 that their Bulk does. Now the Gravity of a 

 Body, which is the Caufe of its (inking or ten- 

 dency downwards, is commenfurate to its 

 Bulk j but the refiftance that the Liquor makes, 

 is proportion'd, not to the Bulk, but to the 

 Extent of the Surface of the Body immerfed in 

 it. Whence 'tis plain, a Body may be fb far 

 divided, that its Parts may be fuftain'd in a 

 Fluid, whofe fpecifick Gravity is lefs than that 

 of the laid Body. Nay, 'tis Matter of Fact, 

 that they frequently are fa ; and we daily fee 

 Menftrua fupporting the Parts of Metals, and 

 other Bodies, that are of fix, ten, nay, almoft 

 twenty times the fpecifick Gravity of thofe 

 Menftrua. And as the Parts of Bodies when 

 divided, are thus fiipported in a Fluid ; fb 

 P when 



