The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-05-14
1arirnItH T q ! .

Science of Things Familiar.


WHY is rain water soft? Because 1t Is
not impregnated with earth and minerals
WHY is it more easy to wash with soft
wafer than with hard? Because soft Wa
ter unites freely with soap and dissolves
il. instead of decomposing it as hard wa
ter does
WHY do wood ashes make hard water
soft Ist, Because the carbonic acid OF
the wood ashes combines with the sulphate
of lime in the hard water, and converts it
into chalk; I'd, wood ashes also convert
some of the soluble salts of water into in
soluble, and throw them down as sedi-
ment by which the water remains more
pure
Why has rain water such an unpleasant
smell when it is collected in a rain tub or
tank? Because it is impregnated with de-
composed organic matters washed from
the roofs trees or the casks III which it Is
collected
How does blowing hot foods make them
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 their face by
particle of air abscrbs some heat from the
cool
Does a fan cool the air? No, it makes
the air hotter, by imparting to it the heat
from our face; but it cools our face by
transferring its heat to the air.
Why is there always a strong draft I'M
der the door and through the crevices on
each side? Because cold air rushes from
the hall to supply the void i'll the room
caused by the escape of warm air up the
the chimney, &c.
Why is there always strong draft thro'
the key-holc of door? Because the air
in the room we occupy is warmer than the
air in the hall; therefore the air from the
hall rushes through the key-hole into the
room. and causes draft.
Why is there always a draft through
the window crevices? Because the eX-
ternal air, being colder than the air Of the
room we occupy, rushes through the win
dow crevices to supply the deficiency caus-
ed by the escape of the warm air up the
chimney.
II YOU open the lower sash of a 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 eX-
tcrnal air will rush freely into the room
and cause 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 4 room best ventilated by open
ing the upper sash? Because the hot vi
tiated air, which always ascends towards
the ceiling can escape more easily.
BY which means is hot room more
quickly cooled-by opening the upper OF
lower sash ? 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
WY does the wind dry damp linen
Because dry wind, like a dry sponge, i'm
b'hes the particles of vapor from the sur
face of the linnen as fast As they airs formed
Which is the hottest place in church
or chapel? The gallery.
Why is the gallery of all public places
hotter than the lower parts OF the build
in-s? Because the heated air of the build
ing aScends. and all cold air which can
enter through the doors and windows
keeps the floor till it has become heated