Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-07-23
WONDERFUL AERINE.
SOME OF The REMARKABLE PROPER
TIES OF LIQUEFIED AIR.
How 1t is Wholesome Interesting Exper-
iments observation-disclosures Ideas OF
Zero Completely Upset-Com-
mercial Importance OF the
Discovery of Aerne.


| covcry, and I think the future question
OF economy in motive power is inti-
mately associated with this liquid.
| Compressed air, at pressures ranging
from 1000 pounds upward, is con-
Quoted from an air receiver through
small pipe, is refrigerated to expel its
moisture and is then conducted into the
| apparatus, which liqueties it completely
without the use of chemicals of any
kind, and it flows from this apparatus
in a stream about the size Of lead
pencil Gin the apparatus which | saw
into glass insulated receptacle, con-
tanning about two gallons. saw this
| receptacle filled in very short time.
OF course, being in an open vessel, aer-
inc has 40 pressure, but its tempera-
ture is approximately-3S5 degrees f.,
or 445 degrees below the atmosphere
at 90 degrees F.
Inasmuch as 1t is boiling rapidly on
the surface, owing TO its absorption of
| heat from the atmosphere, it looks like
carbonated milk, but upon dipping
some of it out in glass and observing
its color through the glass, it has very
much the appearance of ordinary water
and about the same weight. Its tenn
perature is very deceptive, for as it
runs from the condenser and you allow
it to tricke over the fingers for a short
space OF time, 1t appears to have
the atmospheric temperature. The
| truth, however, of the matter is that it
does not come in contact with the fin
gers at all. The hand being somewhat
| like $50 degrees warmer than the liquid
it throws the liquid into a spheroidal
state and interposes between it and the
finger i'm of atmospheric air.
The sensation is very much like
pushing ones hand into bag of
feathers or into a mercury bath, allow
ing, Of course, COR the difference in
weight between the mercury and the
aerne. IT, however, you immersed
your hand in the liquid a sufficient
length of time to establish contact,
the flesh would be burned the same as
if it were exposed to 440 degrees of
heat, measured above the atmospheric
temperature. II test tube of one and
a half inches diameter, having couple
Of pounds of mercury in the bottom, is
immersed in aerine, the mercury will
be frozen solid in few seconds and
may be hammered out and otherwise
manipulated the same as lead. An
alcohol thermometer of large size will
be frozen instantly upon being I'M
mersed in the liquid
An idea of the tremendously low
range Of temperature may be gathered
from the fact that it will take several
minutes to thaw out the small bulb of
this thermometer by covering it with
the palm of the hand.
a tablespoonful of aerine poured on
about fluid ounce of whisky will
freeze it az once into flat scales, giving
the whole the appearance and color of
cyanide of potassium. This may be
emptied out on table and will remain
frozen in that condition for fully five
minutes.
A teacupful of aerine poured on top
of tank of cold water goes into its
spheroidal state instantly in globules OF
about half the size of an ordinary mar
BILE, which fly around on the surface, |
leaving a trail of white vapor behind |
them.
A handkerchief OF either silk, linen |
or cotton saturated with the liquid will |
be charred and destroyed just the same
As if it were put in an oven and Drowned |
though no change If color is apparent.
Its evaporation is quite slow, and it
may be carried about for a number of |
hours in an open vessel without entirely |
disappearing. 1t probably represents
a compression of about 700 atmospheres
and would, therefore, in a confined |
space and at 60 degrees temperature,
represent pressure of somewhere
from 10000 to $4,000 pounds to the
square inch.
OF course it is rather disappointing
to have our ideas about absolute zero
completely upset While we have al
ways appreciated the fact that it was
purely theoretical conception, and
while it was perfectly possible to think |
of point where air would have no
pressure, it was not possible to think of
IFS having no volume Still not hpinO /