The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-09-15
Science answering Simple Question.


/ Why is rain water soft Because it is
not impregnated with earth and mine
rails.
Why is it more easy to wash with soft
water than with bard? Because soft WA.
ter uni'es freely with soap, and Gissolves
II instead OF decomposing it, Ms hard wa
ter does
Why do wood ashes make hard water
soft2 lst. Because the carbouic acid OF
wood ashes combines with the suIpha,e
OF lime in the hard water and converts it
into chalk. 2d. Wood ashes convert
some of the soluble salts of water into
insoluble, and throw them down as sedi.
ment, by which tie water remains more
pure.
Why has rain water such An unpless.
ant smell when it is collected IN rain
tub or tank Because it is impregaated
with deccmposed organic matters washed
from the roofs, trees, or the casl,sn which
il is collected.
Why does water melt salta Because
very minute particles Of water insipuate
themselves into tue pores Of the salt by
capillary attraction, and force the crystals
apart from each other.
How does blowing hot food make it
cool 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 the tace by
the action OF the fan; and as every fresh
particle of ali absorbs some heat from the
skin, this cons,an, change makes them
| cool.
Does fan cool the air! No, it makes
the air hotter, BY Imparting to 1t the heat
OF our face; but it coos our face by trans.
:erring its heat to the air.
Why is there always a strong drausht
through the key of door Be-
cause the mir in the room we occupy is
warmer than the air in the hall; there
fore the air from the hall rushes through
the key hole into the room and causes a
draught.
Why is there always a strong drqught
under the door and through the crevice
on each sidei Because the cold air rush
es from the hall to supply the void in the
room caused by the escape of the warm
air up the chimney, etc.
Why is there always draught through
the window crevices! Because the ex
ternaI Air, being colder than the air Of
the room we occupy, rushes through lne
window crevices to supply the deficiency
caused by the escape OF the warm air up
the chimney, etc.
If sou open the lower sash OF the win.
dow, there is more draught ,han if Won
open the upper sash. Explain the resson
OF this. II the lower sash oe open, cold
external air will rush freely into the room
and cause n great draught inward but if
the upper sash be opened, the heated air
of the room will rush out, and, of course,
there will be less draught inward.
BY which means is room better ven.
tilated-by opening the upper or lower
sash ! A room is easier ventilated by
opening the upper sash because the hot,
rl;iated air, which always ascends towards
the ceiling, can escape more easily.
BY which means is hot room more
quickly cooIed-by opening the upper or
lower sash A hot room is cooled more
qnickly by opening the lower sash, be
cause the cold arr can enter more freely
at the lower part Of the room than at the
upper
Why does the wind dry damp linen
Because dry wind. like dry sponge, i'm
hibes the particles Of vapor from the sur
face Of the linen us fast as they are form.
ed.
Why is the gallery of all public places
hotter than the lower parts Of the build
ings? Because the air Of the building
nscends, and all the cold air which can
enter through the doors and windows
keeps to the floor ill it has become heat
ed. - DR.. Brewer's Guide TO Science.