Page:First course in biology (IA firstcourseinbio00bailrich).pdf/30

 Place a bit of quicklime in about half a glass of water on the day previous to the experiment. When ready for use there will be a white sediment at the bottom and a thin white scum on the top of the clear limewater. The pupils should see this white scum, as a question about it will follow. Make a loop in the end of the piece of wire by turning it around the point of a lead pencil. Remove the scum from the limewater with a piece of paper and insert the loop into the clear water. When withdrawn, the loop ought to hold a film of clear water. Pass the wire through a piece of cardboard or stiff paper, and arrange as shown in D.

D.—

Place the chimney over the lighted candle. Lower the loop into the chimney and cover the top of the chimney with the paper. Withdraw the wire two minutes after the candle goes out. Note the cloudy appearance of the film of water on the wire. The cloudiness was caused by the carbon dioxid formed while the candle was burning.

Omitting the candle, hang the freshly wetted wire in the empty chimney. Let the film of limewater remain within the chimney for the same length of time as when the candle was used. It does not become cloudy now. The cloudiness in clear limewater is a test or indication that carbon dioxid is present.

What caused the white scum on the limewater which stood overnight?

How does the CO_{2} get into the air? It is formed whenever wood, coal, oil, or gas is burned.

The amount of CO_{2} in ordinary air is very small, being only three parts in ten thousand. If the limewater in the