The Appeal., 1922-07-29
RAIN DRIES AIR
SAYS SCIENTIST
Some Interesting Paradoxes Are
Explained by Dr.. Humphreys of
Smithsonian Institution.
HOTTER sun COLDER EARTH
Old Sol Rises Before He Is Up and
Sets Before 1T Goes Down-Bent
Rays of Light Account for
x This Paradox. r.

| WashingtOn.-A rainstOrm dries the
air; more goes up than comes down /;
as the sun sets the air grows warmer {:
| the hotter the sun grows, the colder
/ the earth becomes the sun rises be-
fore it is up and sets after it is down !;
these are strong statements and sound
like fairy tale, but they are all true.
DR.. w. J. Humphreys, quoted in the
| annual report Of the Smithsonian in
stitution which has just been made
public, explains all of them. They are
perfectly we'll known to scientists, if
not to laymen. ....~
AS everyone knows, DR.. Humphreys
declares, water evaporates and is
taken up in the air as vapor. This ac-
tion is continuous all over the earth
and the atmosphere would soon be-
come very soggy if it weren't dried
out. Rain is the collection, or con-
densation, and precipitation of these
moisture particles, consequently the
more it rains the less water there is
left in the atmosphere, or the drier
the air becomes. j.. $50
Contradicts Old Saying.
The second Of DR.. Humphreys para
1oxes seems fatty to contradict the
gid saying whatever goes up must
GONE down." However, as the writer
expresses it, vertical circulation in the
atmosphere is only gravitational ac-
ton, consisting in the sinking Of rela-
lively cold and therefore dense air,
and rising Of warm and light air. Con-
tracted air descends, expanded air
ascends. Therefore, mass for mass,
the volume of ascending air is always
larger than that descending. ---..
The third paradox is merely way
Of stating that the warmest part of
the day is not at noon, when the sun
Is. at meridian or overhead and should
seemingly be pouring down greater
heat, but several hours later in the
afternoon. That is because the sur
face of the earth and the lower lay
ers Of air continue to absorb more
heat from the upper layers for some
time after the latter have been re-
ce1ving the maximum amount of heat
radiation from the sun. ri:
While it is not yet universally con-
ceded that the next puzzler, "the hot
ter the sun, the colder the earth,"
really is true, DR.. Humphreys states,
the evidence in favor of it is already
YaTy strong. .'-..~ ,.
Another Paradox Explained.
The paradox of the sun rising be-
fore it is actually up and setting after
1t has actually gone down is explained
ty the bending Of light waves when
passing through the air. A stick when
placed in clear water seems to bend;
light ray when sent through the air
does actually bend The rays from
the rising sun are bent when they
strike the air envelope. This angle
saries according to well-known laws.
but on the average the light from the
fla is bent 34112 seconds of degree, 80
5at the upper limb of the sun when
Arst seen is actually nalf degree be.
ks>s the horizon. AS the angular diam
eEer of either sun, moon or star is less
San this fraction it follows that when
70 sky is sufficiently clear the whole
# either may be seen before even it's
sopmost portion is geometrically above
he horizon.
contradicts Old Saying.
While the reverse is not absolutely
Nrrect astronomically, it is added,
yhen sun, star or moon set, because
# the slight modification of refraction
lue to earth rotation, nevertheless the
Inference is exceedingly slight. Con-
'equently, as the light rays are bent
apward by earth's atmosphere the sun
has actually gone down before It is
,een by terrestrial observer.
SAVAGE FISH STOPS BATHING