Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-07-12
Science of things Familiar.

Why is rain water sOftf Because 1t is not
impregnated with earth and minerals.
Why is it more easy to wash with soft water
than with hard9 Because soft water unites free
ly with soap and dssolves it, instead of decom-
posing it as hard water does.
Why do wood ashes make hard water soft
l. Because the carbonic acid of wood ashes COM
bines with the sulphate of lime in the hard wa
ter, and converts it into chalk; Q. Wood ashes
also converts some of the soluble salts of water
into insoluble, and throw them down as a sedi.
ment by which the water remains more pure.
Why has rain water such an unpleasant smell
when it is collected in rain tub or tank2 Be,
cause it is impregnated with decomposed organ
ic matters washed from the roofs, trees or the
casks in which it is collected.
Why does blowing hot foods make them cool 2
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 7
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 absorbs some
heat from the skin, this constant change makes
them cool.
Does a fan cool the air No; il makes the
air hotter, by impartDg to it the heat from our
face; but it cools our face by transferring its
heat to the air.
Why 10 there always strong draft under the
door and through the crevices on each side +
Because cold air rushes from the hall to supply
the void in the room caused by the escape OF
warm air up the chimney, &c.
Why is there always strong draft through
the keyhole of door2 Because the air in the
room we occupy is warmer than the air in the
hall there the air from the hall rushes through
the keyhole into the room and causes draft.
Why is there always draft through the win
dow crevices7 Because the external air being
colder than the air of the room we occupy, rush
through the window crevices to fill the detl-
cheney caused by the escape of the warm air up
the chimney.
If you open the lower sash of window there
is more draft than if you open the upper SASH
Explain the reason of this. If the lower sash
be open, the cold external air will rush freely
into the room and cause a great draft inward
but if the upper sash be open, the heated air OF
the room rushes out and of course there Will be
less draft inward.
| Why is Q room best ventilated by opening the
upper sash2 Because the hot violated air, which
always ascends towards the ceiling, can escape
more easily.
| BY which means is hot room more quickly
cooled by opening the upper or lower sash p
A hot room is cooled more quickly by opening
the lower sash, because the outer air can enter
more freely into the lower part of the room
where it is colder.
Why does the wind dry damp linen Be-
cause dry wind, like sponge, imbibes the par
ticles of vapor from the surface of the linen as
fast as they are formed.
Which is the hottest place in church or chap
e2 The gallery.
Why is the gallery of all public places hotter
than the lower part of the buidings2 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 till it has be-
come heated.