The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1904-02-13
ANALYSIS OF THE AIR.
Number of New Gases Found I'm the
Atmosphere-Diner Compost
lions at Varying Heights.

The composition of the air was I'D t,
a few years ago a relatively simple af
fair. Two principal gases, nitrogen an,
oxygen, formed the greater part of tn
atmospheric mass; another gas, carbon
ic acid, only representing few ten
thousandths of the total volume, ant
aqueous vapor, variable from one day
to another, completed the fixed ele.
ments of the worlds envelope If t.
this combination we add little ozone
condensed oxygen. in small and variable
proportions, we have a complete state
ment of our knowledge, or, at least
that knowledge which sufficed for a
student facing an examination, says a
translation in Public Opinion from
Nuova .Antologia Rome.
To-day all is changed, for recently
have been found large number of
new gases in the air. A few DAYS ago
Prof. Ham, of Vienna, gave luminous
exposition of the present View of sci
ence on this matter, and the conclusions
OF this famous meteorologist are very
interesting. Prof. Ham stated that to
the known gases, oxygen and nitrogen.
or azote, we must add argon, neon, cryp-
ton, xenon and helium. Further, ex-
periments have shown the presence O:
hydrogen, an element vitality necessary
In the composition of water, but not
considered up to the present in the
makeup OF the air. These gases have
different physical properties, their dens-
lily especially being very dissimilar, the
highest of all being hydrogen, COM
pared to which helium is nearly twice
as heavy. l97; neon, 80; azote, about
IA; oxygen. about 16; argon, nearly 20;
ccaarbonic acid gas, %; crypton, Al. and
xenon, "a. With such differences in
density 1t is evident that the gases are
not present in equal proportions.
rms view is radically different from
the classified view, for we have hereto
fore fredericksburg our conceptions
on data obtained from balloon ascen-
sfons-that the composition of the air
was the same, even at the greatest alti-
ludes, which conception is easily un-
1erstood when it is recalled that we
only took into consideration oxygen and |
azote, the density of which elements |
IS ABOUT the same. With the knowledge |
we nave to-day of the properties of the
inherent gases. of their weight and their
lquefaction temperature. we NAV de-
ermine approximately what the propor-
ions should be at different attitudes
he proportions being stated by Prof
1ann as follows:
ON plains but slightly elevated above
he sea, the composition of the air is ~
er cent OF, azote, 81 per cent. of oxy-
EN-, o.s per cent. argon, SIC, OOOth Of
arDonic acid, hydrogen. 1-1O. OO0th
fhlle the other three elements vary from
hundred-thousandth to a milliontb
art. At six miles the azote is 81 nor
snt. and the oxygen IS per cent. argon
no carDonic acid gas have diminished
ne-half, but hydrogen is little more
Dundant. 314 liters to the ten thou
Ind, the average temperature at this
olnt being Is degrees c. At So miles
lth a probable temperature of 80 de-
Fees u, the azote is only a memory
bout l,1,OOOth; there is no oxygen
.oooths OF helium and 80 per cent. of
1orogen. The total pressure of all of
lese gases. which at the level of the
a support column of mercury of 7so1
iiilmeters, at this height only. raise
looths OF millimeter of mercury"
'fhus In the high regions of our at
osphere hydrogen, accompanied by
Tie helium, reigns supreme, while the
avy gases which constitute the atmos-
ere IN which we live and breathe ex.
only on the surface of the earth.