M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-07-22
From Brewers Guide to Science.
Science Answering Simple Questions.

Science Answering Simple Questions
Why is rain water softl Becaus,
it is not impregnated with earth ant
minerals.
Why is it more easy to wash will
soft water than hardl Because sof
water unites freel with soap, and dis
solves it instead of decompOsing it
as hard water does.
Why do wood ashes make hare
water sofia l. Because the carboniC
acid of wood ashes combines witt
the sulpbate Of lime in the hard watel
and converts it into chalk. 2. Wood
ashes converts some of the soluble
salts Of water into insOluble, and
throws them down as a sediment by
which the water remains more pure.
Why has rain water such an un.
pleasant smell when it is collected in
rain-tub or tank2 Because it is
impregnated with decomposed organ.
ic matters washed from the roof, trees,
or the casks in which it was collected.
Why does water melt saltl Be-
cause very minute particles of water
insinuate themselves into the pores of
the salt by capillary attraction, and
force the crystals apart from each
other.
How does blowing hot food make
it cold2 1t causes the air, which has
been heated by food, to change more
rapidly, and give place to fresh cold
air.
Why do ladies fan themselves in
hot weather. That fresh particles of
air may be brought in contact with
their face by the action of the fan;
and as every fresh particle of air may
absorb some heat from the skin, the
constant change makes them cool.
Does a fan cool the airs No, it
makes it hotter by imparting to it the
heat of our face; but it cools our face
by transferring its heat to the air.
Why is there always a strong draught
through the keybole of a door9 Be.
cause the air in the room we occupy
is warmer than the air in the hall {;
therefore, the air from the hall rushes
through the keyhole into the room,
and causes draught.
Why is there always a strong
draught under the door and through
the crevices on each side ? Because
cold air rushes from the hall to sup
ply the void in the room caused by
the escape Of warm air up the CHM
ney, &c.
Ifyou open the lower sash of a win
dow, there is more draught than if
you open the upper sash. Explain
the reason of this. IF the lower sash
be open, cold external air will rush
freely into the room, and cause great
draught inward; but if the upper sash
be open, the heated air of the room
will rush out, and Of course there will
be less draught inward.
BY which means is a room better
ventilated-by opening the upper or
lower sash! A room is better venti-
lated by opening the upper sash, be-
cause the hot, vitiated air, which al
ways ascends towards the ceiling, can
escape more easily.
By which means is a hot room more
quickly cooled by opening the up
per or lower sash9 A hot room is
cooled more quickly by the lower
sash, because the cold air can enter
more freely at the lower part of the
room than at the upper.
Why does the wind dry damp lin.
enl Because dry wind. like dry
sponge, imbibes the particles ofvapor
from the surface OF the linen as fast
as they are formed.
Which is the hottest place in achurch
or chapel9 The gallery.
Why is the gallery of all public
places hotter than the lower parts Of
the building9 Because the heated air
of the building ascends, and all the
cold air which can enter through the
doors and windows keeps to the floor
until it has become heated.
Why do plants often grow out of
walls and towersl Either because tie
wind blew the seed there with the
dust, or else because some bird, flying
over, dropped seed there, which it had
formerly eaten.