Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-04
sIMPL|F|ED LESSONS IN
CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
lions of Carburctor and Action
.SS OF Device.
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Frederick c. Gucrrlich Replies to
Queries From Car Owners, Setting
Them Right ON Their Varied
Problems.

We now come to the study Of the
carburetor. To clearly understand the
action of this most important device
] will first have TO cNulain some OF The
simple chemical and physical laws upon
which its action is based
Scientists call the smallest particle
of which all matter--wood, iron water
drop OF water Is composed % millions
OF molecules, "a Is the germ which is
so small not 10 he visible under the
strongest microscope.
The chemist works with these mole
cules. lie divides them into what he
calls atoms, and reloi!s these atoms
into other com binaiionS. Thus each
inoiecule OF water is composed OF TWO
atoms OF hydrogen and one OF oxygen.
posed of eight atoms OF carbon and
eighteen OF hydrogen. or therca bouts
can divide the gasoline molecules into
their elements OF atoms, that is. carbon
and hydrogen. ana then make the car
bon combine with some atoms OF oNy-
gen, and the hydrogen atoms with other
atoms OF oxygen. ana SO change the
doxide gas and into water
If you biras number OF molecules
OF gasoline, MAGE up OF atoms Of ny
number of molecules Of oxygen they
VIII. when given the slightest reason,
fssparaie and combine vita, the oxygen
Heat. as from an electrical spark, VIII
be such reason, so that il you have
a vessel containing a mixture OF saso-
line and oxygen molecules. and YOU Sc:
spark 10 them the carbon in the gas.
oline Will separate from its hydrogen
and combine with the oxygen. each
atoms of oxygen, thus making &C O2l
carbon dioNicc gas, while TWO OF the
atoms OF hydrogen Will combine with
ono OF oxygen and make tH2 % water
Combining Elements Creates Heat.
Mheh clements combine as above.
great neat Is generated We call the
n "a 'tTr
combining OF the elements in the above
way combustion. or We say. they
Gus combustion.
From the above YOU can see why the
miXture must De in Definite ratio OF
from the air>, and the gasoline: as for
each atom of carbon there must lie two
atoms OF oxygen. and for each two
there be an excess of either gas or
air. the excess Will make tho amount
and may even, by absorbing the heat
ton entirely.
Molecules made up of certain elc-
nents will always want to get away
from one another. as is the case with
the OXYGEN and nitrogen molecules OF
those OF iron, copper wood. ETC. will!
want to get together and will hold TO
solid mass. while Still others. Such as
those OF water. will have a slight at
traction for one another. and SO we
have a liquid.
The holding together power Of like
molecules is called cohesion, and that
OF unlike, such as glue TO wood oil to
steel. is called adhesion.
The cohesion is effected BY the ten
perature Thus water will he in the
liquid state when between 81 and II.
degrees Fahrenheit. but will be a solid
ice and snow-at temperatures below.
this. while II will be gas-stcam-at
temperature above 2l2 degrees. Even
copper and iron will, when the tenn
perature is raised high enough, melt or
become a liquid and in time a gas Gas
oline depending upon its grade), Will
chanGe from liquid to a gas in the
neiEhborhood of 70 degrees Kcroscnc
VIII have 10 have n much higher tenn
peraturc.
Pressure Above Affects Liquid.
The pressure above the LIQUID will
AFFECT the temperature at which il will
change to gas. Thus water viii
change to steam when the pressure is
that OF the atmosphere. but If the pres.
sure be higher the temperature will
nave TO be raised
On the other hand il the pressure he
less than atmosphere. or a vacuum. the
water VIII turn 20 steam at a tclnpcra-
ture less than PIP degrees.
What IS true of steam is true or
gasoline. and the fact that the gasoline
grees, which is perhats the averace
temperature OF the air. and the f.ct.
mat. due 10 the suction stroke Of the