Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1850-12-27
Agricultural Geology--Eo. 2.
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Orus is the Greek word for ccid; ginomai,
in Greek, means make; hence the literal mean
ing Of oxygen is acid mailer. combined with
sulphur il forms sulphuric acid with nitro
gen nitric acid; with carbon, earbonic acid,
&c. Respiration, combustion and fermenia-
iion are the three principal operations produc-
ing the combinations Of oxygen snd carbon /;
the results, earbonle acid.
Acids ccmbiue readily with metals. earhs
and alkalics--as iron, lime and potash. BY
chemists these combinations are called salts.
designated by the termination dis. SulPhuric
acid combining with various bases, produces
sulphaiss: nitric. niintes; carbonic, carbon.
a,cs. Sulpha,e Of lime is gypsum or plaster
Of Paris sulphi,e II iron, coPPcra, Of soda,
glauber salts Of marnesia, epson salts. The
carbonate Of lime Is common limestone. mar.
bles, chalk, ard many beautiful crysials.-
Carbonate Of iron, copper, and lead are Ores
or those metals
7 About a century ago water was found to be
composed Of oxygen and hydrogen, and com.
mon air Of oxygen and nitrogen About half
century since oxygen was found by Sir
Humphrey Dayy to be an elemsn, of rocks,
u course of soils, As il was Of the alkalies,
combined with oxygen, were found by the
s,n,. great chemist. 10 DC metals Ycrv rccu.
liar in character.
!, hence appear, that oxygen is an element
in air, earth and water, existing abuudanty
in solid, liquid and aerial forms lnthc Who'll"
/, constitutes nearly half our globe. !, is, OF.
course, the most abundant eIemcn, in the ma
tcrial world. !, is also the ms, important
arsn, in producing changes 10 matter essen
iial to human existence !, IS very appropri-
atcly called ri,ll ar. as neither animal NJ,
nor auy life can exist without " Its lcss
essential 10 combustion than 10 life. II also
acts with grca, energy upcn metals and other
solid substauces Ia this action j, produces
three very large md very important classes Of
5odie.-oNydrs, acids and salts Iron rest Is
the ovyi, Of iron; the drosi of lead, oNyjc
II lead; b1gn, lime. the oNyjc of calcium
pure potash, the o,ydc Of potassium pgrc 90
di. the oyyjr II sodium silcN OF Clint, the
syy.ls ar s,I,~,s.o The cnsnhnaiion ~ onr
part oNyrcn ani four Of nitrogen constitutes
the atmosphere; three parts oxygen and one
nitrogen form nitric acid. a1uaioriis. Com
h.nsi with other substances, It forms numer'
ous acids Sal,pr,rc is the nitrate Of potash.
Tie large quantity of oxygen II receives from
tho nitric acid its il for 4 ml,erial IN runpow-
drr-c.,inr TO ,hl, powerful agcn, It's Princi-
ral power.
\ plate, ,umblcr and scrap uf paper, with
Little water, will enable any teacher or pa
rent to perform an cypcumsn, on oxygen
equally simple, instructive and interesting 90
10 a deep plate pour some water ou the
water place a scrap Of thick paper, piece oi
corr. OF other light substance on tha, anolh.
cr p,ccr II paper or cotton moIsioncd with oll
. On lighting the paper or cotton, place over %
large empty tumbler. The combustion con-
unucs for a few seconds, AND when It is cN-
tinguishcd the water occupies about one fiih
Of the space IN iho tunhlc-, showing the ne
ccssily Of oxygen for combustion, and that II
Constitutes abou, one fifth the air we breathe.
Wha, man, woman, or child would not like
to BE- nmilarly acquainted with an element 50
active as oxygen, especially when such an
acquaintance !. equally simple, Useful and dc.
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