The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-01-27
PUZZLES IND QUERIES.
Some Problems Which are Really
Worth While Working Out.
Questions. Second Series.


II. What is luminous paint
II. How is phosphorus made?
IL. What is the polar diameter OF the
earth?
II. How do the common metals range in
order of electrical conductivity2
ID. What is the relative speed of trans
| MISSION OF sound through air and water?
IS. What are the raw materials used in
| making glass?
H. What Is the photos phere of the sun?
10 why IS brass tubing never used for
| piping gas?
10. What are trichina?
20. What is sodium?
Answers. First SeriesJ
In answer to the questions appearing
Dec. 49, Con1rade Asa W. SIayton, Co. b,
25th Mich, Grand RAPIDS, Mich, sent
complete set Nos. "a, Is, is, 10 and so are
answered correctly, and reproduced below.
The answer to rs, which was more or less
catch question, and therefore hardly fair,
is especially good In the answer to II, by "a
slip OF the pen, Silicon" was written instead
of silica. No. rs is incorrect Mrs. L. A.
Wallace, Chapel, O., sends answer 10 so,
which IS inserted in brief. Edgar F. Horn,
National Military Home Ohio, answers "A.
Other answers to later questions have
been received from " Kappa Kappa" Haw-
ley, Mimi; a. W. SlaYton, Grand Rapids,
Mich, and F. n Hirfkle, Clifton. W. Va.
w
letter containing n name has been mis-
laid sends IN a question which, being his
torlcal, 1t is rather beyond the range OF
this column, but is appended
Washington resigned his commission as
General Of the Army Dec. 20. 1852 and was
chef Executive officer during these six
years There was a President of the Con-
tinental Congress.
n, One cubic foot OF pure gold weighs
1908 lbs. 2oz., avordupois, and would Make
$780,, C6.50-Asa w. Siayton. 1868 551 81
used different specific gravity for geld than
that adopted by Mr.. Slayton n9.33. The
Editors own calculation is 1854 190 So
practically the same as Mr.. Slayton SD.
-. A tide wheel running a dynamo
operating an electric-lght pant would be
an Instance OF generation of artific al light
by the moon.-Asa w. Slayton.
10. Carb3rundum is n new abrasive sub
stance nearly as hard as diamond, formed
by melting together coke and sand in an
electric furnace. Chemically, it is carbide
OF silicon.
II. Silica Quartz is the most abundant
IL. The geographical center of the United
States Exclusive of Alaska) is in Kansas
Asa w. Slayto1.
70. Acetylene is. a colorless gas often
formed in the Bunscn gas burner by the
fame burning DOWN in the tube. 1t has a
disagree cable odor. 1t is composed OF Two
atoms Of ca bon unitctttO two of h ydrogen.-
Asa W. Stay on it is now extensively
used as an illuminant, and is Produced by
bringing water and calcium carbide
together.-Ed.
80. by three visits, 50 miles Of travel, and
five days in the Mammoth Cave, think all
the comes and pits were formed, and are
now being formed. by the action of dropp ng
water; and ti,at most or all of the passage
combined chemical ami mechanical
acton IN both cases, Chambers once formed
are enlarged upward by dropping. of layers
of rock. All such caves are in limestone
rock of the subcarboniferoIs formation.
Ra :nwater, form ;ng in the air, becor;es
charged with carbonjc acid gas, and the
solution formed quite readily d;ssolves
limestone rock. The d.ssolving was far
more rapid ages ago when the atmo spherc
was heavily charged W tn tae gas.-Asa
W. Slayton. The Mammoth Cave was
fOrnei in the same way as the cliff
dvellers' homes in the West-by cave
dwellers. The caves in the Green River
country, Ky, are built in the side OF knobs
or small mo nntains. When the mouth of the
Gaze is in lie eel ground, there is a S nix
hole in the shape of n deep basin, 100 feet
across at TOO and as many deep At the
bottom it Ia ers. In one size OF the bottom
is the mouth OF the cave. Some Of The
wonders of Mammoth Cave are evidently
manufact ured Ike the stars in the star
chamber" which are mad BIZ making
holes in the crust. As the formation con
tains "a mineral Ike epson salts, it
sparkles in the light.-hrs. f. A. Wallace.