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Faraday, Michael, 1791-1867

"The Chemical History of a Candle"

There it is, you see; it is full of carbonic acid.
[Illustration: Fig. 30.]
There is another experiment by which I will shew you its weight. I have
here a jar suspended at one end of a balance--it is now equipoised; but
when I pour this carbonic acid into the jar on the one side which now
contains air, you will see it sink down at once, because of the carbonic
acid that I pour into it. And now, if I examine this jar with the lighted
taper, I shall find that the carbonic acid has fallen into it, and it no
longer has any power of supporting the combustion. If I blow a
soap-bubble, which of course will be filled with air, and let it fall into
this jar of carbonic acid, it will float.
[Illustration: Fig. 31.]
But I shall first of all take one of these little balloons filled with
air. I am not quite sure where the carbonic acid is; we will just try the
depth, and see whereabouts is its level. There, you see, we have this
bladder floating on the carbonic acid; and if I evolve some more of the
carbonic acid, the bladder will be lifted up higher. There it goes--the
jar is nearly full; and now I will see whether I can blow a soap-bubble on
that, and float it in the same way. [The Lecturer here blew a soap-bubble,
and allowed it to fall into the jar of carbonic acid, when it floated in
it midway.


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