The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1859-02-24
Science Answering simple Questions

erals.
Why is it more easy to wash with soft
water than with hard? Because soft
wator unites freely with soap and dis
solves It instead Of decomposing it, -
hard water does.
Why do wood ashes make hard water
soft? 1st. Because the carbonio acid Of
wood ashes combines with the sulphate
Of lime in the hard water, and converts
into chalk; I'd. Wood ashes convert
some Of the soluble salts Of water into
insoluble, and throws them down - :
sediment, by which the water remains
more pure.
Why has rain water such an unpleas-
ant smell when it is collected in rain
tub or tank?
Because it is impregnated with de-
composed organic matters washed from
the roofs, trees, or the casks in which it
il collected.
Why does water melt salt? Because
very minute particles Of water insinuats
themselves into the pores Of the salt BY
capillary attraction, and force the crys-
tails apart from each other.
How does blowing hot food make
them cool It 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 Nth their fa-
COS by the action of the fan !; and as ev-
cry fresh particle Of air absorbs some
heat from the skin, this constant change
makes them cool.
Does fan cool the air /? No, it makes
the air 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 strong draught
through the key hole of coor2 Be-
cause the air In the room we occupy 10
warmer than the air in the hall there.
fore the air from the hall rushes thro'
the key hole into the room, and causes
draught
Why is there always strong draught
under the door and thro' the crevice on
each side? Because the cold air rushes
from the hall to supply the void in the
room caused by the escape Of warm air
up the chimney, so.
Why is there always draught thro'
the window creyices ? Because the ex-
ternal air, being colder than the air Of
the room We occupy, rushes thro the
window cseyices to supply the de6cien-
cy caused by the escape Of the warm sir
up the chimney, &c.
IF you open the lower sash Of win
dow there is more draught than if you
open the upper sash. Explain the rea-
son Of this. If the lower sash be epen,
cold external air will rush freely into the
room and cause draught inward I; 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 . room batter ven-
tilated-by opening the upper or lower
sash? A room is better ventilated by
opening the upper sash; because the
hot, vitiated air, Which always ascends
towards the ceiling, can escape more eas-
lily.
By what means il hot room more
quickly cooled-by opening the upper
or lower sash? 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 tho up-
per.
Why does the wind dry damp linen ?
Because dry wind, like dry sponge, i'm
bibes the particles of vapor from the
surface Of the linen a. fast a. they are
formed.
Which is the hottest place Ia church
or chapel? The gallery.
Why is the gallery Of al public pla-
ces hotter than the lower parts Of the
building? Because the air Of the build,
ing ascends, and all tho cold air which
can enter through the d3ors and windows
keeps to the floor till it has BECOME heat
ed.
Why do plants often grow ont Of wallis
and towers? Either because the wind
blew the seed there with the dust; o.
else because some bird, flying over.
dropped the seed there which it bad for
merly eaten.