The National tribune., 1897-12-09
PUZZLES AND QUERIES.
Some Problems Which are Really
Worth While Working Out.

The National Tribune presents some puz-
zling problems in science and natural his
tory, which involve valuable and practical
knowledge, and which, when worked out,
will add to the workers store OF informa-
ton on the working of Natures great laws.
Answers to these should be designated
by number, as they are numbered con-
Secutively; the answers given IN future
issues, and also the names Of the most
successful solvers.
Answers.
80. Cream is lighter than milk, and tends
to separate from it, as everybody knows.
BY substituting an intense centrifugal
force for the comparatively weak force of
gravitatiOn this separation is much facili-
tated When whole milk is fed into a YES
sci rotating 6,G00 to 1900 revolutions q
minute cream and milk at once separate,
the heavy milk forming layer next the
wall, while the lighter cream forms a dis
tinct layer inside the milk layer BY APP
proprate mechanical devices each can be
drawn off separately, and if the feed OF
milk is continued the process is rendered
continuous.
81. A 12-gage shotgun is one the bore of
which is fitted by a round leaden bullet
weighing one twelfth OF a pound. Bullets
weighing ten to the pound fit a 10-gage.
80 The temperature which Fahrenheit
selected as zero was that oil the coolest
day of very cold Winter. 1t happened to
be also the temperature OF mixture OF ice
and salt. This coincidence led Fahren-
heit to believe his zero was really zero;
j. e. point at which heat ceased.
As a mathematician Fahrenheit had a
prediction for the circular scale tof 800
degrees), so he made the distance between
boiling and freezing points OF water 1870
degrees. Degrees OF this size made ms
new Zero" 81 degrees below freezing point.
Starting now from zero freezing point be-
came 80 and boiling point 2i2.
49, Dynamite is made by sOpping up
nitrogIycerin in an absorbent, dry powder.
Sometimes this powder is itself explosive
(ntrated sawdust), sometimes not Q2iesel-
guhr or tripoli, which is a highly porous
infuSOrial earth).
81 + is the most frequently occurring
letter in English words.
IS The old form of Leclanche cell is
made by placing Il carbon stick IN the
center of a porous cup. Round TINS SUCK
are packed fragments OF carbon ana OF
manganese peroxide. The porous cup it
self is plunged into a solution OF sal am
mOniac contained in "a glass jar. In this
lar is also placed stick OF amagamated
zinc Zinc and carbon sticks form the
two poles.
SO. A vacuum or strike pan is the ap-
paratus in which sirup is boiled down TO
crystalline out sugar. 1t is usually a large
provided with steam heating coils, and
placed in connection with a vacuum pump.
81 Litmus is a dyestun extracted from
ROccella tinctora, q lichen growing IN Hol-
land 1t occurs in commerce IN small blue
cubes consisting of little coloring matter
and good deal OF clay. Litmus turns
red when treated with acid. The blue Is
restored by alkali.
SO. Hematite is red oxid Of iron, and is
chemically similar to iron rust. 1t is the
sesouioxid of iron, consisting OF two atoms
of iron united to three of oxygen, and there
fore, when pure contains 70 per cent. OF IRON.
80. "Torque" is the amount OF force with
which the armatuTeS OF electric motors at
rest tend to rotate when current IS sup
piled. -
40. Water in a suction pump will rise %
to "a feet (sea leveD, the hight depending
on the barometric pressure.
New Questions.
90 What is meant by ''dolichocephaiic"
skull2
63 What is solder? :.
Ga. What was the old "Symmes- hole"
idea of the structure OF the earth.
60. What is "Bode's law?
Sc. What is British gum?
81. How is it that the moon always
presents the same face to the earth, yet
manages to revolve on it's own axis?
68. Which moves faSter-the bottom or
top OF wheel?
90. What is putty?
20. What is the "three-wire" system OF
electric lighting?
II. What is the green coloring matter OF
plants?
~ What is minium?
73. What influence does an electrical
current flowing through wire exercise
on a compass?