Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12
ANALYSIS OF THE AIR
NUMBER OF NEW GASES FOUND
IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
Different Composition at Varying
Altitudes-Crypton, Xenon,
Helium and Neon.

Translation in Public Opinion from Nuoya Anto-
logfa Rome.
The composition of the air was up to
few years ago a relatively simple affair.
Two primo pal gases. nitrogen and oxygen,
formed the greater part of the atmospheric
mass; another gas, carbonfc acid, only rep
resenting a few ten-thousandths OF the
total volume, and aqueous vapor. variable
from one day to another. completed the
fixed elements of the worlds envelope. II
to this combination we add a little ozone,
condensed oxygen. in small and variable
proportions, we have a complete statement
of our knowledge, or at least that knowi-
edge which suff1ced for student facing an
examination. ~
The New Gases.
Today all is changed. for recently there
have been found a large number of new
gases in the air. A few days ago Professor
Ham Of Vienna gave luminous exposition
of the present view OF science on this mat
ter. and the conclusions of this famous
meteorologist are very interesting. Professor
Ham stated that to the known gases,
oxygen and nitrogen or azote. we must
add argon, neon, crypton, xenon and
helium. Further. experiments have shown
the presence Of hydrogen. an element vital
ly necessary In the composition of water.
but not considered up to the present in the
makeup of the air. These gases hive diff
ferent physical properties. their density es-
pecially being very dissimilar. the Ightest
OF all being hydrogen, compared to which
helium is nearly twice as heavy. LOT: neon.
90; azote. about IA; oxygen. about IL;
argon, nearly 20; carbonic acid gas, II;
crypton. Al, and xenon. "a. With such dlf-
ferences in density 1t is evident that the
gases are not present in equal proportions.
This view Is radically different from
believed-basing our conceptions on data
obtained from balloon ascensions-that
the composition of the air was the same
even at the greatest attitudes, which con-
ception Is easily understood when 1t Is re-
called that we only took into consideration
oxygen and azote. the density Of which ele-
ments Is about the same. With the knowl-
edge we have today of the properties of the
different gases Of their weight and their
Hquefaction temperature, we may determine
approXima tely what the proportions should
be at different attitudes, the proportions
being stated by Prof. Ham as follows:
Air Composition at Different Attitudes.
ION plains but slightly elevated above
the sea. the composition Of the air is 70
per cent of azote, q per cent of oxygen.
90 per cent argon. 3-1OOOOths Of carbonic
acid, hydrogen 1-1OO0Oth, while the other
three elements vary from a hundred-thou-
sandth to a millionth part. At six miles
the azote IL 81 per cent and the oxygen Is
per cent, argon and carbonic acid gas have
diminished one-half, but hydrogen is 1T
tie more abundant, ga litere to the ten
thousand, the average temperature at this
point being Is degrees c.. At sixty-three
miles. with a probable temperature Of 80
degrees c.. the azote is only a memory,
about 1-1OOoth; there Is no oxygen, 4-1COOths
Of helium and 80 per cent of hydrogen.
The total pressure Of all Of these gases,
which at the level of the sea support
column of mercury Of 760 millimeters, at
this height only raise 2-100ths of MILL
meter Of mercury"
Thus In the high regions of our atmos-
phere hydrogen. accompanied by a little
helium. re1gns supreme. while the heavy