The National tribune., 1898-03-10
PUZZLES AND QUERIES.
Some Problems Which are Really
Worth While Working Out.
Questions. Second series.l

Questions. Second Serics.l
II. What causes the change of seasons?
j W. Bricker.
". What is the difference between the
Gregoran and Julian calendars?
70. What is the best transmitter of radiant
heat? What is the best conductor for
heat?
"A. What was the highest balloon ascen-
sion?
IS. What is the value OF an ounce of fine
gold?
70. What is Daltonism?
IL What is Bunsen burner?
rs. How far below sea level does the bot
tom of Lake Superior descend?
30. How long does il take the moon to
revolve about the earth?
so. How many common ten-penny
nails are there to the pound?
Answers. Second Series.)
The Editor OF this column would be glad
to have any of its readers suggest questions
of a scientific or practical nature. Histori-
cal and biographical questions do not come
within the present scope of Puzzles and
Queries" Contributors OF questions are,
however. requested 10 accompany each
question with the answer which the con-
trihutor deems correct.
Asa ". Slayton, Grand Rapids, Mich.
has sent in answers to queries 81 TO 10, all
of which are correct. Harry L. Matthews,
Kinsman, O.. sends answers TO 81, 30, 81,
ID, IS, 81, and 39-all correct. Francis NJ.
G.. IIinkle, Clifton W Va, sends answers
to 33, "a, 35 Sc, and 80 all correct. j. W.
Bricler, Smithviile, OIL sends in a ques-
ton which appears below.
Answers to- queries II TO 30 have been
received from Asa w. Slayton, Grand
Rapids, Mich. Mr.. III. T. Matthews, Kins-
man, o., submits answers 10 Al, AZ, AZ, 10,
AZ, and 10.
81. Dew point means the temperature at
shich dew wiz deposit. 1t varies much
Asa w. Slayton.
The amount of vapor that cubic foot Of
perfectly dry air contains at sea-level is
els grains for go f., which is estimated to
be the mean surface temperature Of the
globe. II a body OF unsaturated air at 1C0'
+. has to be cooled down to- So f. before
any of it's vapor begins to condense, this
temperature, at which satuIration is reach
ed, is called its dew point.-H. L. Mat
thews.
81 As fresh water expands one-twelfth
its bulk in freezing, one thirteenth OF a
floating mass of ice would rise above the
water-line. icebeTgS floating in the heavier
ocean waters have about one-ninth above,
slowly rising as they enter the denser equa-
tOrial waterS.-ASa w. Slayton.
SO. Water attainS it's maximum density
at temperature OF 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
If fresh water be cooled il contracts regu-
larry until the temperature of 80 is reached,
ing it makes a great cxpansion.-F. NJ. G.
Hinlle. 3).5 degreeS.-Asa W. SlaytOn,
1872 degrees.-H. L. Matthews. 1872 de-
greeS-Ed..
81. Tannin is the name formerly applied
to tannic acid. It is one of the aStringent
principles in vegetables; as, for example,
the bark of the oak and chestnut and gall
nuts Ii is the substance used to change
raw hides into leather.-H. T. Matthews.
Tannin is not true acid, but is glucOcide.
1t is obtained from the bark OF the hem
lock- oak, birch, the leaves of Sumach,
most abundant in nutgalis of the oak. 1t
is very aStringent, and is used in tanning
leather.-Asa W. Slayton.
"a. Nicotine is an oily, cOlorless alkaloid
obtained from tobacco, so poisonous one
fourth of a drop will kill a rabbit.-Asa w.
Slayton.
Nicotine is the poisonous liquid which
forms the active principle of the tobacco
plant.-F. NJ. G. Hinkle.
1t crystallizes in small plates, which
rapidly absorb moisture and liquefy in the
ali. It's taste is very acrid, and continues
long in the mouth. 1t is eminently poison
ous.-H. t. Matthews.
SO. "Cony is rabbit, a hare, deceiver.
a variety OF West India fish, the hind of
Bermuda. ASA ". S'aytOn. The Biblical
Coney was apparently the rabbit. Al present
the name is used mostly to designate the
"hyrax," a South African mammal.-Ed.
81. CaSt-irOn is made directly from the
ore and contains from % to five per cent.
OF carbon, and is capable OF taking the
mnutest forms from the mold. Wrought
iron is made of cast-iron by diminishing
the carbon to o. to 0.5 per cent. it pos
sesses great tenacity, and can be rolled
into plates or sheets as thin as paper
Steel is iron combined with from one-half
to one and half per cent. OF carbon. 1t is
harder, whittier, and more elastic than
either cast or wrought iron.-H. T. Mat
theWS.
In smelling iron ore in a blast-furnace,
the iron unites with about five per cent. of
carbon from the coal used. This makes
The iron more liquid while melted, which
better fits il for flowing into mOldS, also en-
abeS the atoms to- arrange in crystals
while cooling, and this causes slight ex-
pansion, well filling the mold, and makes
the cast-iron hard and brittle. Wrought
iron is made from the cast iron by long
heating in a reverberatory or pudding fur
mace to burn out the carbon until it has
only about 0.5 per cent. 1t is then pressed
to expel the Stag, rolled between heavy
rollers, doubled or cut and bound in
bundles, heated again and rolled much to
render it fibrous and tough. Steel is made
from the wr0ught-irOn by keeping it heated
several days in closed iron boxes contain
ing charcoal, the carbon OF which unites
with the iron until about two per cent is