Analysis of a course of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy : viz. 1. Properties of matter, 2. Mechanics, 3. Chemistry, 4 and 5. Pneumatics, 6. Hydrostatics, 7. Electricity, 8. Electricity [sic], 9. Optics, 10. Use of the globes, &c., 11 and 12. Astronomy / by A. Walker.

  • Walker, A. (Adam), 1730 or 1731-1821.
Date:
[1795?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Analysis of a course of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy : viz. 1. Properties of matter, 2. Mechanics, 3. Chemistry, 4 and 5. Pneumatics, 6. Hydrostatics, 7. Electricity, 8. Electricity [sic], 9. Optics, 10. Use of the globes, &c., 11 and 12. Astronomy / by A. Walker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    [ ^3 ] has IfTued out of the bottle’s neck a quarter of an hour; remove it by degrees, and cork up the bottle as-l'oon as it will not burn it, or decant the pyrophorus into a dry bottle, well flopped from air. A little of this powder ex- pofcd to moifl air on brown paper, inftantly takes fire. 12th. Vitriolic acid contains more latent fire than water by one-third—therefore, when mixt, an equilibrium takes place, and the three parts are let loofe in fenfible heat. Hence iron pyrites lying in water produces heat, and be- comes ink with an infufion of galls ; rain water running over quarries of fuch pyrites above Bath, acquire the heat for which thofe waters are celebrated. 13th. Vegetables contain much nitre; the water therefore in which po- tatoes, fpinage, &c. are boiled diflblves the nitre, and hence brown paper foaked in fuch water, becomes ex- cellent match when cut in flips and dried. 14th. Silver dilTolved in diluted nitrous acid, (or luna cornea) is pre- cipitated by copper; for the acid has a greater affinity to copper than filver, therefore the filver precipitates, and form thofe beautiful ramifications called the arbor Diana. ACIDS arc both in a liquid and concrete form, have n four tafte, and they effervefce with alkalies. Vitriolic acid is fluid, tranfparent, colourlefs, and without fmell; like water, but much heavier. It is got generally from fulphur, by diftillation with water, to which it has great affinity. Nitrous acid is of a brown colour, emits brown vapours, has a pungent fmell, readily difTolves inoft metals, and is extrafted by diftillation from nitre or falt-petre, moiftened with vitriolic acid. It attacks the phlogifton of metals, and has the greateft affinity to it. Marine acid is extradled from common fait, it is of a yellow colour, and frhells like faffron. ALKALIES, are faline bodies that combine readi- ly with acids; in a concrete form they attradl moifture from the air, and become fluid ; they have an acrid burn- ing tafte ; fufe with a moderate heat; diffolving earths with a ftrong heat; become glafs, &c. Fixt mineral al- kali is obtained from fea fait; fixt vegetable alkali from