Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-12-01
Combustible and Incombustible Matter.

When any substance is burned, some
of its elements escape into the atmos-
phere in the form of gases and floating
particles, and the remainder become
ashes. The carbon unites with the oXy-
gen of the air, and escapes as carbonic
acid gas. Some of the nitrogen is con
verted into vapor.
The elements which escape include
the carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nj
trogen, and sometimes the sulphur.
The remaining elements are found in
the ashes. The former are called com
bustibe or volatile, and the latter ill
combustible or fixed
The following is brieI description
Of the more common elements -
OXYGEN is the most common and in
teresiing of the elements. 1t forms about
one half Of the solid parts of the earth.
eight hinth>, by weight, of all water.
and one-titth Of the air. Ii has power
full attractions for many other elements
The substances formed by its union
with these are generally called oxides
Water is sometimes called hydro o.
Ide. Lime is caicic oxide iron rust,
ferric oxide. There are three familiar
processes in nature in which oxygen
takes leading part =
/. Combustion.-The ordinary pro-
cess OF burning. or combustion, consists
If the union of the oxygen OF the air
with carbon aud some other elements
Of the fuel. This union with carbon
produces a gas called carbon dioAide,
or carhouic acid gas.
Heat 10 a result OF the union. 1t is
regarded as kind of force. The force
or clash with which atoms come togeth-
er III burning is converted into another
kind Of force called heat The degree
OF heat depends upon the rapidity Of
the process. \ draft through fire in
creases the heat, because it furnishes
larger supply Of oxygen.
,. Or.dHioH.-ln the rusting OF met
ais, and the decay OF wood, process
is going on precisely similar to that of
burning. except that II is much slower.
New combinations are formed. and the
same amount Of heat is produced as if
the iron or wood were burned. Or oxi-
died more rapidly. The process i 50
slow that the heat is not noticeable.
The decomposition aud decay Of All
substances. in general. is largey pro-
cess of oxidation. Articles of food are
preserved from decay by separation
from the oxygen OF the AR fine decay
OF SOFT vegetable substance, a. well a.
the crumb!iug Of The hardest rock shows
the power OF oxygen in transfer ming
the products Of Nature.
). E.sptratton.- Respiration or
breathing III ani!.ials j. similar To COM
bustion and oxidation. The oxygen
of the air, taken into The lungs. enters
the blood, where it uni.cs with carbon
The carbonic acid gas thus produced
escapes With the breath mo the atmo>-
phele.
The heat which results from this
union serves to keep up the tempera-
ture of the body IF the animal The
amount oil heat per day produced in the
system of man hy breathing is about
equal to that obtained by burning a
pound Of coal
Plants breathe TO slight extent.
taking in oxygen through the pores Of
their leaves, aid giving off carbonic
acid gas
HYDROGEN is the lghtest substance
known. 1t weighs only one-sixteenth
as much as oxygen. 1t combines most
readily with oxygen and chlorine
W hen burned or combined with OK,
gen, il forms water. II is an essential
part of plants and animals. 1t is pro-
4 duced by the decay OF animal aud veg
I etable matter, or from molecules OF wa
ter, by separating it from the atoms
Of oxygen.
+ NITROGEN. i'll free state form. four
/ titths Of the air. 1t is an odorless and
harmless gas. Its purpose in the air
seems to be to dilute the oxygen with
which 1t is mixed aud diminish its force.
1t forms an essential part Of plants
I and animals, and is of great impor-
lance for agricultural purposes 1t.
/ force of attraction for other elements
! is very weak. This fact increases the
difficulty of retaining ii in permanent
1 forms. 1t is the most expensive part
Of fertilizers. With hydrogen it forms
ammonia with hydrogen and oxygen.
nitric acid These are the two forms
in which nitrogen most commonly be-
comes source Of fertility, and of i'm
portance in agriculture.
East sullivan.