52 
MR. GROVE ON THE EFFECT OF 
Gases surrounding the wire. 
Hydrogen . . 
Olefiant gas 
Carbonic oxide 
Carbonic acid . 
Oxygen . . . 
Nitrogen . . 
Cubic inches of gas evolved in 
the voltameter per minute. 
... 77 
... 7-0 
... 6-6 
... 6-6 
... 6-5 
... 6-4 
Assuming that in the present experiments the heat in the water is a correct indica- 
tion of the intensity of ignition in the wire, the order is the same in both series of 
experiments. Hydrogen is however so far removed from both oxygen and nitrogen 
in its effects upon the ignited wire, that in order more accurately to ascertain the 
relative position of the latter two gases, I made a few further experiments on them 
as contrasted with each other, and not with hydrogen. I first repeated my former 
experiment on these two gases, varying it only by changing the circumstances in 
the manner suggested by the present experiments, which on account of the vessel 
containing the wire being immersed in a given quantity of water, instead of being 
exposed to the external atmosphere, would occasion greater equality in the sur- 
rounding cooling effects, and would give me the opportunity of combining both 
methods in one experiment. 
I filled both tubes A and B with oxygen, and included a voltameter in the circuit ; 
in two minutes 3‘43 cubic inches of hydrogen were evolved in the voltameter, and 
the thermometer in each cell had risen from 60° to 63°. A similar experiment with 
nitrogen gave in two minutes 3*4 cubic inches of hydrogen, and the thermometer 
rose from 60° to 63°. 
This experiment accords with my previous one as to the voltameter test, but indi- 
cates no difference in oxygen and nitrogen with the thermojueter test ; I therefore in 
the following three experiments associated nitrogen with oxygen in the apparatus, 
fig. 1. All things being disposed as with the experiments on hydrogen associated 
with other gases, in five minutes the thermometer rose — 
In the oxygen. 
Exp. 1st. From 60° to 71°'5. 
2nd. 60° to 77°- 
3rd. 60° to 75°. 
Mean . . 60°to74°‘5. 
In the associated nitrogen. 
From 60° to 73°. 
60° to 76°. 
60° to 76°. 
60° to 75°. 
The battery had increased somewhat in piower after the first experiment, but as 
both wires formed part of the same circuit in each experiment, the variations in 
battery power do not affect the comparative results. The second experiment gives 
a variation in the position of oxygen and nitrogen with reference to the first and 
third experiments, but the gases so nearly approach in their cooling effects, that 
these slight differences are not much to be relied upon ; however I applied a further 
