Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-24

OF an Interesting Nature Performed.
Berries Frozen Like Shot-A Tin
Dfpper Crushed in the Hand Like
Glass-A Piece of Potato Turned to
MarbIe-A Summary o. the Lecture.
Last evening, at the Opera House,
before an audience that comfortably
filled the large auditorium, Prof. J.
Ernest Woodland, under the auspices
of the Y. VI. C. A, delivered an unusu-
ally interesting lecture on the subject
of Liquid Air. and illustrating it
throughout with numerous pleasing, but
mystifying experiments. The lecture
was prefaced with a brief explanation of
some of the properties of liquids and
gases and explaining their molecular
motions, after which he described the
process by which the air in its natural
form was cleaned of it's impurities, the
moisture was taken from it, how re-
duced to a liquid form and finally how
it was prepared for shipment.
Prof. Woodland began his address by
stating that there was nothing more
interesting to science than liquid air
on account of its seemingly contradic-
tary qualities. 1t will freeze alcohol or
melt steel. 1t will freeze the flame yer
which it is set, but will boil violently
upon a cake of ice. Besides these many
qualities it has wrapped up in it mighty
commercial forces that give promise Of
revolutionizing many of the processes
of industry. 1t is in much the same
stage of development that electricity
was twenty-five years ago. 1t has great
properties as a refrigerant. To illus
trate this point he took a small tin Of
cranberries and poured a small quaint
ity of the liquid air upon them and in
a moment they ratified in the can as 50
many shot, and when dropped upon the
floor could be heard distinctly. They
were frozen solid. A tin of strawber-
ries were similarly treated and a like
result was obtained. =
The next experiment was a little more
startling. Prof. Woodland selected sew
eral slices of potato and a small piece
of beefsteak. Placing them in a tin he
poured the liquid air upon them, and
in this as in all the other experiments
the air in coming in contact with the
vessel made a kissing noise and pro-
duced much vapor. In a moment the
potato was removed from the vessel,
and laying it on the table he struck it
a sharp blow with the hammer, break
ing it to fragments. When one of
these fragments was examined it was
found to be frozen so as to resemble
moved from the vessel it was found TO
be lighter in color and to be frozen as
hard as The potato and broke similarly
when struck with the hammer.
The effect on metals, said Prof. Wood
land, is even more interesting. Some
are made brittle, some tougher and still
others become elastic. A tin dipper
when subjected to the liquid air was
crushed in the hand as though it had
been formed of delicate glass. A rub
Der ball was dipped in the LIQUID air
and when thrown at the wall Was
broken to fragments as if it were an
egg shell.
Flowers dipped in the liquid air were
frozen Immediately. but lost none of
their color OF perfume. When Prof.
Woodland took enc in his hand 1t
crushed rs 81 much delicate glass.
The next experiment was a very
startling one. A small paper mould
was filled with r,ercury and a small
stick was placed in it. Liquid air was
poured upon it and in a moment the
mercury had become solid and a num-
Der of nails were driven, it being used
as a hammer.
A small amount of whisky was pour
ell in a glass and upon liquid air being
poured upon it, it was frozen solid.
The flow of vapor was greater from this
than any other substance because of the
alcohol.
TO illustrate how liquid air could be
used mechanically Prof. Woodland fill
! a metal tube with the fluid and then
drove a cork tightly into it. In a mo-
ment the cork was shot violently out OF
it and across the room with a report
like a pistol. This he said was on the
same principal as the piston rod of an
engine.
The next phase of the subject taken
up was the chemical side. Taking a
small piece of sulphur and ordering
the lights turned out, he filled a vessel
with water and liquid air. Lighting
the sulphur he dipped it into the vessel
and in a moment the house was lit up
with a glare that was startling in the
extreme. Accompanying this light
thus formed it was explained that an
awful heat was also developed.
Next a small portion of the liquid air
was poured in a test tube and upon a
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