New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-01
By PROF. YouxANi

composition OIL the AtnioSputfVs
By PROF. rouxANs
Mr.. loumsns gave his second lecture in she
Franklin Course last evening before large audieocs
NE Tabernacle He took up the subject OF the Com
position ofthe Atmosphere, and It's Action upon Roaks
Preparatory TO Vegetation"
Mr. Youmsns's manners very attractive, aud he we
listened 10 with intense interest, and several Hmes
appsudsd.
Aner referring to some points in his drst lecture M
loumsns proceeded to remark
Az the atmosphere, when reduced to uniform dsa,
sity extends upward but five miles shall form the
beet idea of the proportion Of its elements by suppos
sing them to be separated in successive layers strata
In that case the nitrogen, of which we spoke last weak
would form layer about four miles deep, and tho oxy
gen about one mile deep There yet remains another
pair OF substances 10 be examined waery vapor and
carbonic acid gas These exist in vastly less compare
tive quantity ye, their offices equally important 70
the preservation of organic life Ii all the carbonc
acid contained in the air be separated aisy
il would be bur ID feet deep, and the watery vspor
pIecpItsted would form stratum of water inchVs
deep If water and air brought into contact they
exert mutual r,actiOn the water dssolvcs absorbs
portion OF the air about "a per cent, aud this forms
4 second atmosphere upon the globe, which exists In
all natural waters and which respired by marine ani
mall. This atmosphere IN twice as rich In oxygen
the sit above Again, the air dssolyes OF ahsorbs
portion OF the wafer which rises INTO the gaseous for
ibis vapor Indispensable In perfectly dry air nethW
vegetables animals can live OF the wonderful prop
critics OF water and Its countless In nature have
time TO speak, but viii barely call your attention TO It's
remarkable solvent powers IL dssoves great numbes
OF substances and takes their peculiar properties.
Pure water ia always the same, the difference In differ
ent waters being due 10 various substances Dissolved In
H. Water said the lecturer Ia compound of Oxygen.
with smother gns termed hydrogen-the hghteat sab.
stance In nature being fourteen times lighter than air and
10000 times lighter than water. The article uscd to In
fate balloons IL either pure hydrogen gos some ether
gas containing this always the clement Of levity
Although the ghtest of all substances Ia nature u
nevertheless recognized as me!sl-water being
tac oxide. Its inysbily and gaseous form coo tuts
no objection 10 this view because metallic mercury also
rises in invisible vepor gas Hydrogen unites wit
oxygen, generating an intense heat 10 il ngrs lent
OF nost fuels and Is the element that produces flame In
combustion IL is also universal element OF foods aud
imperts 70 them marked properties according lts pro
portion Is great or ma The lecturer then called at
tention 20 carbon. We know 10, said he. common
charcoal but IL has variety OF formscharcoal black.
lead snthracite lamp black diamond arc all different
forms or staies OF the element Several OF tho
elements exhibit these habtudes They called aIo.
ropic states. Oxygen IL supposed 10 have two
conditions, passive state common oxy-
gen and an active state in which II Il
known as ozone. There is but small amount
Of carbon In the mineral world--none indeed
but what Is supposed to have been of organic origin
But in the organized world IL Is FUNDAMENTAL and uni
versd element When wood or coal burns or decays
when living things perish their carbon combines VII
oxygen and the substance formed Is known a. csrbonIc
acid This Ia universal product Of combustion whether
in the ungoyernable consgratioD in the measured
respiration of the living ANIMAL bushe Of charcoal pro-
duces $500 gallons Of this gas and In breathing
- hours 40 gallons Csrbonc acid Is heavy gasi Il
extngushss hro and destroys all animal life IL an
animal attempt breathe IL pure there 10 spasmodic
closure Of the gots and the animal dies speedily az
II strengcd with cord. lfbreahei when diluted with
80 per cent OF air IL scte narcotic poison, inducing
sleep to0Por and death rs normal proportion In the
coo gallons OF air This may be increased tenod or
TO one hall per cent; more than this Is injurious
exhaes about 20 cubic feet of carbonic acid per
day. which would therefore Utia,e spoil 1000 cubic
feet of air each day equal 10 all that to be found over
space Of SO square feet the top of the atmosphere
Larger quantities still generated by combustion snd
decay. Water has strong attraction for csrbonc acd
and AFFORDS much Of IT, Il there acquires new proper
ties particularly the power OF dssovng great number
Of minerals. Mr. Youmans then explained why 10 d
called acid All acids have the power Of combining
with smother class Of bodies termed beses In combn
ing they both disappear and new substance formed
called salt Most minerals are salts that ID, they
sist o acids and bases combined The lecturer then
drew attention hls chemical chart showing the com
position Of the pinepal minerals which form the beds
Of rocks Their saline composition very clearly and
beautifully exhibited The bases OF these minerals were
potash Soda lime, magnesia and oxide Of iron CON-
bned with acid called silicis the same ~
quartz. In limestone alone the acid Is c@bonic.
rots III sor@aass and ssSseS arrs eap ~bio he
said prepared BY Prof Hall He pointed out the
arrangement Of the rocks. CntTstihed granite was be
low I'll the other formations were seen IN STRATA above
He spoke Of the composition Of the granite, and stated
that contained al the nsterals % form tie stFatiied
rocks abcye. The grarite Is also The highest rock. IL
forms the loest ridges Of mountains upon the globe.
What then 10 necessary said Mr. Younans IN order Ia
estsbIsh the probability that al the strsUked rocks
originally came from the granite We need only force
capable Of deconposIg the granite, and this force Is
found Ia the atmosphere. The destructive, decomnos-
ing action Of the atmosphere upon rocks well Known
Blocks o granite often covered with fne sand
and clay, the resuit u weaihsrny corroded BY the
Atmosphere snd frost The casio! Of the United States
was wearing down 20 fast thss they wore unable To
preserve il, even with the prodigAl use Of paint.
Prof Lyen speaks Of granite IN some regions
where esreonie aid Wa generated freely, that
bic % pieces IN the hand II 10 By these means that
soils formed by the deeIJ and wearing down Of the
rocks that crop cut al the surface OF the ground. In
these deeomposOls caIbonic acid takez leading part
1. stronger acid than sl.ce and takes away lis bases,
thus breaking up the minerals and setting free the cle
mens Of fertility Thus, ssd the lecturer, the poison
Gus gss ust generate in breathing prepares for Us
soil from sold rocks, that plants nay grow ! have
stated that VI the srktied formations made from
the cider granite but the coal formation exception
TO this statement IL could not have come from the
granite, for hat rock s oeettute Of carbon Whence
then came tie coal II has been sbundsniiy shown,
and e now every where acknowledged, that the coal
beds consist Of The eharrcd esrbonzed remains ct an
ancient and most luxurious vegetation The Priaevsl
with mud which became soldned into rock and In that
condition the wood gradually altered 10 coal The
source Of The carton therefore the that Of
coal or wood now s-days Ia IL mode Of growth and
the Of is clements the tree Is the same now inst
II ever was, and we know that she charcoal Of wood
comes from the strnssphcre. II 10 derived .om ne
esrbonic acid 81 the air a. win DO dsuaonssrsee "a oul
next lecture We therefore, ssid Mr. y reach TIE re-
maykable conclusion that previous to the depo9 INC
coal formations they existed IN the form pocSScs
gas In the air. The quantity ofcasbone ga I.C.
poisonous Condition. How could animals bresens mS
stmosphres Clearly enough they could NOT ~ nsss
Geologists have failed 10 ind me remeD
breathing animals in the rocks below ne ccaaoso -
animals that appeared below the coal tnhaseee y