Elements of Experimental and Natural Philosophy: Being a Familiar and Easy Introduction to the Study of the Physical Sciences; Embracing Animal Mechanics, Pneumatics, Hydrostatics, Hydraulics, Acoustics, Optics, Caloric, Electricity, Voltaism, and Magnetism : Illustrated with Nearly Four Hundred Woodcuts |
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acid action angle apparatus atmosphere atoms attraction axis ball battery becomes body bone bottom called cause centre of gravity colours compressed concave conductor contraction convex convex lens copper crystals cylinder degree diameter direction distance earth elastic electricity equal fall feet fixed fluid focus force galvanometer glass heat hydrogen inches instrument iron latent heat length lens lever Leyden jar liquid machine magnet mercury metal microscope miles minute motion move muscles needle object object-glass observed opposite particles pass pendulum piece pipe piston placed plane plate platinum polariscope polarized pole Portrait position pressure prism produced quantity rays of light refraction retina right ascension round screw seen side solid sound space specific gravity steam substance sulphuric acid surface telescope temperature thermometer tion tourmaline tricity tube valve vapour velocity vessel vibrations Vols voltaic weight wheel wind wire zinc
Popular passages
Page 182 - When sea birds fly out early and far to seaward, moderate wind and fair weather may be expected. When they hang about the land, or over it, sometimes flying inland, expect a strong wind with stormy weather.
Page 332 - I did but intend my fancy a little while upon it ; for at first, if I shut my right eye, and looked with my left, the spectrum of the sun did not appear till I intended my fancy upon it ; but by repeating, this appeared every time more easily. And now, in a few hours...
Page 511 - Columbus for the first time noticed the variation of the needle, a phenomenon which had never before been remarked. He perceived about nightfall that the needle, instead of pointing to the north star, varied about half a point, or between five and six degrees, to the north-west, and still more on the following morning.
Page 237 - The immediate cause of the phenomena of heat, then, is motion, and the laws of its communication are precisely the same as the laws of the communication of motion.
Page 294 - Achtermannshohe, a human figure of a monstrous size. A violent gust of wind having almost carried away my hat, I clapped my hand to it by moving my arm towards my head, and the colossal figure did the same. The pleasure...
Page 237 - It seems possible to account for all the phenomena of heat, if it be supposed that in solids the particles are in a constant state of vibratory motion, the particles of the hottest bodies moving with the greatest velocity, and through the greatest space; that in...
Page 332 - I made such an impression on my eye that if I looked upon the clouds, or a book, or any bright object, I saw upon it a round bright spot of light like the sun, and which is still stranger, though I looked upon the sun with my right eye...
Page 332 - And now, in a few hours' time, I had brought my eyes to such a pass, that I could look upon no bright object with either eye but I saw the sun before me, so that I durst neither write nor read ; but to recover the use of my eyes, shut myself up in my chamber made dark, for three days together, and used all means to divert my imagination from the sun. For if I thought upon him, I presently saw his picture, though I was in the dark. But by keeping in the dark, and...
Page 237 - Since all matter may be made to fill a smaller volume by cooling, it is evident that the particles of matter must have space between them ; and since every body can communicate the power of expansion to a body of a lower temperature, that is, can give an expansive motion to its particles, it is a probable inference that its own particles are possessed of motion; but as there is no change in the position of its parts as long as its temperature is uniform, the motion, if it...
Page 476 - Fig. 199 : solution of sulphate of potash was placed in contact with the negatively electrified point, pure water was placed in contact with the positively electrified point, and a weak solution of ammonia was made the middle link of the conducting chain; so that no sulphuric acid could pass to the positive point in the distilled water without passing through the solution of ammonia : the three glasses were connected together by pieces of amianthus.