Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-06-07
ABSOLUTE ZERO,

H5SOLU lC EChSS Ht
somo NIarvcls of Liquiffed Air-OuicksiI-
yer Frozen as Hard as Steel.
The experiments which have re;
suited in the liquefaction of air seem
likely to revolutionize our ideas oi
heat and cold. Mr.. Charles E. Trip
ler OF New. York is turning out
liquefed air by the gallon, and d de-
scription of his achievements in the
Century is a veritable, fairy-tale Of
science. Fancy kettle of liquefed
air going off in steam when set upon
block of ice, because the latteris
several hundred degrees warmer than
the air! It may not be long before
the expression 'sas cold as ice' will
cease to be heard, and ''as hotas ice''
adopted. .: -,
It certainly is surprising to see the
liquid air poured upon ice fly off hiss
ing like water from hot iron;t but
when one reflects that ice is 344 de-
grees hotter than the liquid, it does
not seem so strange; or to'see' ones
breath blown intothe open can{of the
liquid, sent back instantly, its mois-
ture CONCEALED into o miniature snow
storm. A Jet of steam lis frozen as
quickly, for steam in the opensair is
only ia degrees hotter than the
breath, while from the temperature Of
steam to that of liquid air isua ter
rible drop of 524 degrees! In this
freezing effect probably is found the
greatest obstacle to the use Of liquid
air as q motive power. The moisture
of the air is deposited rapidly as ice
upon the machine, especially upon the
oritice from which the jet of extreme;
ly cold air emerges. This soon closes
the orifce completely and stops the
machine. &
Another surprise is given when the
experimenter puts his hand directly
into the liquid for moment. But
the sensation is only as Of soft cush- I
ion of air about the hand. Such. it !
really is. The heat of the hand forms
layer of vapor or air about the hand,
and the liquid air does not come in
contact with the fesh.E Should the
liquid actually touch the flesh, a
severe injury like. a burn re-
suits, which sometimes is months
in healing. In an few seconds an
egg is frozen so that, it requires q
hard blow of hammer to break it.
Probably it's germ of life is extinct. .
Seeds of grains and vegetables have
been tested in liquid air. These
were oil natives of the temperate zone,
the seeds of which will pass the win !:
ter in frozen earth without loss of
vitality, such as barley and oats for
grains, and pease, cucumber, and
squash for vegetables. They are kept ;
for one hundred and ten hours at 3l2
degrees below zero, and then slowly
thawed for fifty hours. After this
treatment they were still alive On
being planted, they terminated. and
grew.
The liquid air boils in q dish till, it
has cooled the dish to its own temper
ature. It's boiling-point is 1912. de,
grees below zero. After !. this the
vapor of air which covers the liquid /.
so retards evaporation sthatit maybe
kept eight or ten hours in, q can
packed only in felt. 1t has in this
way been carried two hundred and
fifty miles from the place of manu-
facture The cooling effect upon the
air of the room is very marked. The
writer gave two lectures in one after
noon with liquid air. Said q ladyaof
the second audience, as she entered
the lecture-room, GLOW cold your
room is!'' The temperature had been
lowe ed 10 or II degrees by the evap-
Grafton Of the air used in the first
lecture.
All other liquids are frozen when
put into liquid air. Mercury becomes
like iron, SO that it will drive a, nail,
hold up weight, or serve any other
purpose MS q metal, SO long rs it is
kept frozen. @ ! 4 HJUm Z