News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-05-20
WONDERLAND OF SCIENCE.
EASY AND INTERESTING EXP ERR
MENTS FOR THE HOME CIRCLE.

| MENTS FOX The HOME CIRCLE.
An Error Of Vision - Muslin That
Will not Burma Paper Kettle
Egg and Bottle, Etc.
Almost every one is familiar with the
experiment with a hat. There are but
few who have not some idea of the height
of the average sized silk hat but few
tests will prove that these fondly cher
ished theories are decisions. Pick out a
handsome cylinder that has not lost its
primitive gloss, and ask one of the COM
pany to mark on the wall the height of
the hat from the floor. The mark being
made, it will lie found on measurement
to be between one and two, and some
| times rs much as six inches higher. And
still the person marking was quite sure of
the accuracy of his vision. Repeat the
experiment several times with other men,
bers of the company, and, as a rule, the
result will be the same.
What, then, is the explanation of this
common error in our vision2 In glancing
downward the height of the wall seems
less to US than it really is. We keep IN
our minds the real height of the hat, but
we are deceived by the apparent diminu-
ton of the height of the wall. We thus
invariably mark higher than we should.
MUSLIN THAT WILL NOT BURN.
| Muslin, as is well known, is highly in
flammable, and still muslin may be
brought in contact with live Goals with
out being consumed.
Take piece of highly-polished metal,
a copper sphere, for example, and bind
the muslin on it as tightly as possible;
then lay it on some Goals at a white heat,
blowing them and keeping them aglow.
The muslin will not be scorched.
The reason of this is that the metal ON
which the muslin is bound is a good con-
ductor of the heat which passes entirely
into the metal, leaving the fabric unin-
jured.
A PAPER KETTLE.
In the same way water may be boiled
in paper. Make little box of legal cap,
put some water in it and expose it, hung
by four threads, over spirit lamp. Tho
water will soon commence to boil and the
paper will not burn, because all the heal
is employed in changing the temperature
of the water from cold to hot.
Let the water now be removed and
pieces of tin substituted and the latter
will soon be found melted within its
paper receptacle.
EGGS AND ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
You will say that to pass an egg
through the narrow neck of a bot
tie is impossible, but you are mistaken.
Remove the shell from hard boiled egg,
then light bit of paper and drop it
burning into the bottle. Lay the egg thus
prepared on the mouth of the vessel and
watch the result.
The egg will gradually stretch out and
mold itself to the shape of the neck;
then it will gradually sink, and in a few
moments drop to the bottom of the bot
tie.
The explanation of the phenomenon is
simple The combustion of the paper
has deprived the air in the bottle of por-
tisn of its oxygen; vacuum is thus pro-
duced, and the pressure of the atmos-
phere outside forces the egg down
through the opening.
HOLDING WATER UPSIDE DOWN.
1t is equally the pressure of the atmos-
phere which will enable even the least
skilful experimenter to turn a glass full
of water upside down without losing
drop, on which a sheet of paper has been
laid. The glass is full to the brim and
the paper must be placed on the top, care
being taken that no air remains between
the water and the paper. When turned
upside down the entire contents of the
glass are held in place by the pressure of
the air in the room against the paper.
AN oBEDIENT COIN.
An amusing experiment is the follow
ing:
Place foot glass on four supports,
each about two inches in height, which
must in turn rest on table covered with
table cloth, or a carpet; then throw
ten-cent piece into the glass, The feat
to be performed is to make the piece
either. If any one is foolhardy enough
to bet that it cannot be done he will Ger
tainly lose his money.
With the index finger scratch the cloth
in the vicinity of the glass, and ra1ually
you will see the piece move, come out
and at last approach your finger. The
elasticity of the fabric insensibly drives
out the piece. Every motion of the nail
causes a corresponding movement of the
cloth, and the piece is forced to yield to
this series of motions.
HOW MUCH WILL A GLASS HOLD.
Almost every one is acquainted with
the trick of dropping coin into glass of
water, already apparently full, without
causing it to overflow.
Let the glass be filled to, say, within
a tenth of an inch of its utmost capacity.
Its surface will then present a concave
appearance. Then take dozen ten-cent
pieces and ask the spectators how many
can be dropped into the glass without
causing an overflow.
The majority will only be willing to
risk two, or perhaps three.
As matter of fact the whole dozen
may be dropped in if the operation is
carefully done. As they are thrown in
the surface of the water swells until the |
concavity is replaced by convexity, and |
the liquid rises quite high in the middle, |
but not drop is spilled.
DOMESTIC CHIMES.
Would you care to listen to the chimes
of cathedral in your own room? Tie
silver or plated spoon to a string or light
cord, take an end of the cord in each
hand and place one end in each ear.
Then swing the spoon so that it strikes
against some ob,oct-as for example
table-and every conclusion will trans
NIT sound so intense that it will seem
as if some gigantic clock were striking
in the neighborhood. The effect is a
very singular one and the illusion COM
plete.
HOW TO LIFT A GIANT.
Suppose man standing upright. Is
it possible for several persons to raise
him from the floor with their index fin
gers only? Yes, quite possible if the
effort is made with entire unanimity.
Five persons can very easily raise a man
with their index fingers, and even
with seven fingers if the subject is not
too heavy.
Let two persons stopping down place
their two fingers under the feet Two
others with one finger each, will raise
the elbows. A fifth will raise the chin
with one tinger-total, seven fingers
Take long breath-one, two-raise!
And the man will leave the floor.
When the effort to be put forth is only
Of short duration there is considerable
force in the fingers, and it is
not strange that the united power of
seven fingers should overcome the dead
weight of person from $50 to 100 |